Wesley Julyan (34), the man accused of murdering members of his own family, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder and arson in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
He has been charged with murdering his brother Jeffery Julyan (34), Jeffery’s son Ethan Julyan (9), Jeffery’s step-daughter Kayla McKenna (16) and Jeffery’s father-in-law, Peter McKenna (73) in a Capston Drive, Mtwalume house in December 2017.
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The house belonged to Wesley’s father, Clive Julyan. Despite the property having been sold, Wesley had lived there for some time.
According to the high court indictment, Wesley and his brother had been at odds over items of property which had been removed from the Capston Drive house and which were being kept at Jeffery’s home in Umtentweni.
On December 19, at Wesley’s insistence, arrangements were made for Jeffery to return these items to the Mtwalume house.
Jeffery and Wesley, assisted by Ethan, Kayla and Peter, duly transferred the items from Umtentweni to Mtwalume.
While they were in the Capston Drive house, read the indictment, Wesley decided to kill his brother. Jeffery was assaulted with a pick handle, suffering blunt force injuries to his head and neck. He was also strangled with a rope, and died at the scene.
Peter was strangled to death with copper wire, and Ethan also died from strangulation.
Kayla died after being strangled with a dog chain and rope.
Wesley allegedly then used petrol to start a fire which damaged the home and charred the bodies.
Several of the 22 witnesses scheduled to testify have taken the stand so far, and the trial continues.
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