Trial of alleged wife-killer Barkhuizen continues quietly in empty Joburg courtroom

The murder trial of George Barkhuizen‚ who allegedly gunned down his wife Odette in Oakdene‚ a suburb south of Johannesburg‚ is in its third week.

She was killed on June 11‚ 2015 at about 1.30pm. Only her cell phone was taken.

Justice for Odie‚ a Facebook page created in honour of Odette‚ had posted earlier on Thursday: “A Mother‚ Daughter‚ lifetime friend Odie gone 23 months today. We know you're close to us during the trial and waiting to rest peacefully. Love and miss you always.”

This hours before police investigator Detective Constable Naomi Weideman took the witness stand for a third day. When Barkhuizen shook his head in disagreement with parts of Weideman's testimony‚ he was dressed down by judge Ramarumo Monama.

“Please Mr Barkhuizen‚ the court doesn't take kindly to you looking at the witness and shaking your head.” Barkhuizen‚ dressed in a tan jacket with shirt and tie‚ apologised for allegedly staring Weideman down. He faces counts of murder‚ fraud‚ unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition and has pleaded not guilty.

The state alleges that Barkhuizen murdered Odette‚ who had asked him for a divorce‚ after applying for life insurance policies with multiple insurers to the accumulative value of about R7.5-million‚ under false pretences.

“The deceased wanted and or/requested life insurance policies devoid of cover for death due to natural causes [and] the deceased did not want policies that required pre-medical examination‚" the indictment read.

Barkhuizen allegedly also forged the policy applications and a copy of Odette's will‚ which made him the sole beneficiary of her estate.

According to the indictment Odette had no desire for further or new life insurance cover and was unaware that her husband had applied for these.

“The state's case is circumstantial in that no one but the accused could have committed the murder and fraud in casu‚” it said.

Barkhuizen's advocate‚ Sita Kolbe SC‚ gave shape to the defence's case by asking the court to reject Weideman's investigation.

“She wants to present a case to the court linking the accused to the offence when there is a host of evidence suggesting the opposite. What she's not supposed to do is cherry-pick what goes into the docket to suit her case.”

Kolbe said Weideman had introduced elements into the case that were not contained in witness statements.

Weideman denied this: “I wouldn't say it's a biased investigation. I followed up [with witnesses]. Maybe I didn't document [my investigation] that well.”

Weideman was also asked to explain why she believed that a pair of size 10 Bata boots on a Builder's Warehouse receipt – along with other items‚ including latex gloves‚ that make up an alleged killing kit – were purchased for Barkhuizen's use.

When she said it was because Barkhuizen's family told her he wore a size 10‚ Kolbe said‚ “that is lie”.

Numerous pairs of shoes‚ allegedly belonging to Barkuizen were in the courtroom. According to Kolbe only one pair in the bunch belonged to him and was a size 8.

The Builders Warehouse slip‚ dated April 13‚ was reportedly found in the couple's house and showed the items were paid for with Barkhuizen's debit card.

The courtroom's public gallery was nearly empty‚ with only journalists and one law student present. No family members or friends of Barkhuizen sat through Thursday morning's proceedings. Next to him in the dock were arch lever files containing documents and notes‚ as well as a laptop and a pack of cigarettes.

The businessman‚ who remains on bail‚ chatted jovially with his legal team during the court's lunch-break.