Anika Smit inquest postponed to next month
"Vampire's identity revealed after someone uploads his photo on Facebook"
The inquest of murdered Anika Smit’s death has been postponed to 8 October at the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court.
Court proceedings started with tension on Friday as the court was informed that a member of the public who was in court took a photo of “Vampire”, who is one of the witnesses in the case which she uploaded on Facebook calling him a murder.
Throughout the week there was a court order barring the media and public from revealing the real names of witnesses in the case, this means no photos showing the faces of witnesses was allowed.
This court order was lifted on Friday as “Vampire” could now be named and photographs of him may be published in the media.
State Prosecutor Tania Carstens and Anton van Staden, a lawyer representing Nico Venter (Smit’s boyfriend at the time before her death) were arguing about the level of damage caused to “Vampire’s” reputation and dignity.
Magistrate Pierre Wessels asked Damien Treeby known as “Vampire” how he felt about his image being posted on Facebook, Treeby then said he would continue to speak the truth but did not want to look over his shoulder all the time.
Carstens said the media needed to be careful about the manner in which they reported the inquest as Treeby was not yet charged, and the court proceedings should be in-camera.
Carstens constantly urged the media to comply with the court order and not to name any of the witnesses in the court throughout the inquest.
Meanwhile Van Staden argued that Treeby suffers the same fate his client Venter had endured.
Wessels ruled that the court be postponed to 8 October as the court needed to investigate the individual who posted Treeby’s photo on Facebook calling him a murderer.
The postponement was also to give Treeby time to find a lawyer.
Watch video of Anika Smit’s mother Charlotte Eksteen speaking to the media about the inquest into her child’s death on Friday.
Treeby participated in the inquest on Thursday, answering questions related to the death of Anika Smit who was found raped, mutilated and dead at her father’s house in Theresa Park.
Treeby who went to the same school as Smit testified in court he had been associated with friends from his previous school who had introduced him to satanism.
Treeby also admitted he had become interested in the occult world, surfing the web for spells and rituals. He had also been to goth parties where he had a shot of blood which might have been human blood, while he saw some injecting blood from one another.
Before the court adjourned, Magistrate Wessels thanked the lawyers for arguing their cases in a professional manner, he also thanked Treeby for his bravery and honesty.
Despite Wessels promising to protect Treeby’s identity, this promise was later broken.
Wessels said Treeby may contact Carstens if he felt his life was now in danger, while he also thanked the media for handling their coverage factually.
Treeby’s exit from the court was hogged by journalists wanting a good shot of him.
The inquest will continue on 8 October.
Also read:
Court told of satanism, blood-drinking and bullying
Woman queried in Anika inquest
Mxit messages emerge at Anika Smit’s inquest
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