Fingerprints on axe scrutinised in Van Breda murder trial

A blank space. That is what the axe found at the crime scene of the Van Breda triple murder has offered by way of evidence.

The officer who dusted 12 Goske Street for fingerprints over the course of three days after the murder‚ has confirmed that no fingerprints could be lifted from the axe's handle where the murderer would have held on tightly as he hacked Martin‚ Rudi‚ Teresa and Marli van Breda.

Henri van Breda stands accused of the murders and attempted murder of his sister Marli.

He maintains his innocence and claims he too was attacked by an unknown man.

A knife proved more useful: three usable prints turned up‚ and one is Van Breda's.

The other two cannot be identified.

Defence counsel Piet Botha demonstrated in court how Van Breda's fingerprints might have ended up on the knife in his scuffle with an alleged intruder‚ but the officer said he wasn't willing to speculate.

He also described how he checked the boundary wall for any prints.

Before using special technology‚ he first checked with the "naked eye" and then sprayed a chemical that reveals if there are prints. But there weren't any.

Botha asked if it could be ruled out that a man in gloves jumped over the wall and left no print‚ and he replied that it cannot be ruled out.

The case continues.