UPDATE: Murdered teen inquest postponed yet again
The magistrate also weighed in on the contradictions in some of the testimony, saying 'it doesn’t make sense'.
The ongoing inquest into the horrific death of teen Anika Smit was postponed yet again on Thursday.
This was after three days of testimony in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court.
The past three days, Smit’s friend Jean du Plessis testified about the details of his friendship with the then 17-year-old learner, how he learned of her death and even his visit to the Smit home on that fateful day.
Although Du Plessis was able to recall some of the details accurately, he at times found himself being questioned about the contradictions in what he said and why he blamed Damian Treeby for her death.
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At one stage, Corrie Nieuwenhuys, defence attorney for Treeby and Andre van Wyk (also known as “Smiley”) asked what they should believe of what he said.
“I’m asking you, please tell the truth,” said Nieuwenhuys.
Andre (“Smiley”) van Wyk turned himself in to police soon after the murder, but the case against him was later withdrawn after he confessed it was a false statement.
The magistrate also weighed in on the contradictions in some of Du Plessis’ testimony, saying “it doesn’t make sense”.
Du Plessis revealed that he had learned of Smit’s death by phone while he and a friend were at a local pub and grill.
He also revealed it was an unknown woman who told him the gory details of how Smit had died.
In the previous court sitting in April, Du Plessis revealed that Smit had said she knew “how and when she would die”.
ALSO READ: UPDATE: Anika Smit murder ‘witness’ challenged in court
The teenager was found raped and killed with her hands cut off at her father’s Theresa Park home.
Police have thus far been unable to gather enough evidence to prosecute anyone else in the case.
Among those involved in the investigation into her murder are her father Johan Smit, her mother Charlotte Eksteen, ex-boyfriend Nico Venter and Damian Treeby.
The inquest is set to continue on 11 September 2019.
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