Steenkamp gran: He doesn’t know what he did

Kimberley - The sentencing of the 17-year-old Griekwastad rapist and murderer brought tears of relief as well as grief to the family affected on Wednesday.

The boy was found guilty of murdering Deon Steenkamp, 44, Christel, 43, as well as raping and murdering 14-year-old Marthella Steenkamp. He was also sentenced for defeating the ends of justice because he lied to police.

He got 20 years for each murder, 12 years for the rape and four years for lying to police.

Deon Steenkamp’s mother, Bettie, 88, told the Diamond Fields Advertiser that it was right for the boy to spend the next 20 years in jail but even so, she would always love him.

She said she also didn’t think that he understood that what he did was wrong.

Another member of the family said they were relieved that the case is finally over and that while they commended the judge for showing leniency, the sentence could have been harsher.

The family commended the investigation team for doing an “excellent job”.

The author of a book about the murders said he believed the local community was relieved about the case coming to a close as it had caused a huge rift in Griekwastad.

Many people in the community could not believe that the boy could have murdered the Steenkamps, he told EWN.