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Reeva’s death meant end of the world for me: Cousin

Reeva Steenkamp. Picture Credit: Sunday Times
Reeva Steenkamp. Picture Credit: Sunday Times

After 45 days, it was finally time for the Pretoria High Court to hear from the family of Reeva Steenkamp, the 29-year-old woman who was killed by her boyfriend Oscar Pistorius in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year.

Steenkamp’s cousin Kim Martin took the stand as the first witness called by prosecutor Gerrie Nel to give evidence in aggravation of sentence.

Last month Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide for Steenkamp’s death.

Martin, who was 12 years older than Steenkamp, described her cousin, the first baby she had ever held, as a fun-loving child and a hardworking daughter of two hardworking, financially strained, but loving parents.

Martin, who was given her aunt and uncle's blessing to testify on behalf of the family, said that she was compelled to testify "for Reeva”. “I owe it to her. Reeva needs a voice."

Pistorius tried to retain his composure during Martin's testimony, but broke down as she described how she learned of her cousin's death on February 14 last year.

An emotional Martin recalled that she had been driving with her husband in rush-hour traffic in Cape Town when she heard a radio report that Pistorius had shot and killed his girlfriend.

She testified that she was shocked and had said to her husband: "I hope he's cheating on Reeva."

Martin said that when it was confirmed that her cousin had been shot, "for me, it was the end of the world".

Martin described the devastating effects of Steenkamp's death on her family, saying it was the worst thing that had ever happened. She said it had destroyed the Steenkamp family for whom "Reeva was everything to them."

Martin said that since her cousin's death she had attended trauma counselling, is seeing a psychologist and is currently on medication for the treatment of depression.

Nel asked for an early adjournment, feeling that Martin was too distraught to undergo cross-examination before tomorrow.

While defence lawyer Barry Roux assured Judge Thokozile Masipa that he had no intention of cross-examining Martin and only had two short questions to ask her, Nel's request was granted.

Martin will return to the stand when court resumes tomorrow morning.

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