Defence advocate Barry Roux resumed his cross-examination of police photographer Barend van Staden today (March 18), as Roux used meta-data from Van Staden's photos in an attempt to establish that another officer identified as Colonel Motha had been taking photos of the crime scene at the same time, contradicting Van Staden's testimony.
"What I am going to put to you is that there was a great overlap between you and Colonel Motha early in the morning. You were together in the bedroom, together in the bathroom. What do you say to that?," Roux said.
According to Reuters, "proceedings at the North Gauteng High Court began late on Tuesday as Van Staden had to fetch the master copies of the crime scene photos from his office."
The report continued:
Roux questioned Van Staden's statement where he stated he was alone at the time the photos were taken and therefore there had been no disturbance of the scene until he was finished.
"I will show you 53, image 5370 of Colonel Motha," Roux said.
"You could not have missed him. It's the same time, same passage," added the defence lawyer, while comparing photos taken by van Staden to those taken by Col. Motha who had also been at the scene.
Pistorius' defence has been looking to sow doubt about the quality of the police work in the case, particularly around its handling of evidence.
"How does it happen that there is such a great disturbance of that scene," Roux said to Van Staden.
"My Lady to explain that when exhibits are found, photos are taken and collected. It is just part of the investigation My Lady," answered the warrant officer.
The prosecution says Pistorius, now 27, deliberately shot his girlfriend, model and reality TV star Reeva Steenkamp, then 29, after the pair had an argument and she locked herself in the toilet early on Valentine's Day last year. Pistorius said he fired in self-defence after he mistook Steenkamp for a home intruder who had entered through the bathroom window.
If found guilty of murder,
