Dad backs son on trial for allegedly killing Esbe Koster

The father of a former Brits schoolboy yesterday told the High Court in Pretoria his son was quiet, obedient and respectful and would never have planned to rob or kill a secretary at his school.

The 18-year-old youth’s father testified in the trial of his son, who pleaded not guilty to the November 2016 kidnapping, robbery and murder of Esbe Koster, a secretary at the Rabboni Christian School in Brits.

The youth put the blame for Koster’s murder on his 19-year-old friend, who is presently serving a 25-year sentence after admitting guilt to the murder.

The self-confessed killer earlier testified that his younger friend had been part of a plan to hijack Koster because they wanted her car for spare parts for his friend’s car.

He said they had asked Koster for a lift after school, but then forced her at gunpoint to drive to a remote spot where his friend first tried to tie her up before the older pupil shot Koster twice in the head when she resisted.

The 18-year-old insisted he had no idea they were going to hijack Koster, let alone kill her, and put the blame on his friend, who he said had threatened him.

He said his friend had tripped Koster and he was standing with his back to them when he heard shots and saw Koster on the ground with blood running from her head.

The youth’s father testified that he had met the 19-year-old for the first time on the day of his son’s arrest. He did not like the manner in which the boy talked to his father and did not approve of him as a friend for his son.

He said a police officer had slapped his son on the cheek during questioning before his son made a statement.

His son had acted differently the night after the murder. He was sitting on his bed with his head in his hands, refused to eat dinner, suddenly jumped up as if something had frightened him and paced up and down in the corridor in the early hours of the morning.

He asked his son three times if something was wrong.

The trial continues.

– ilsedl@citizen.co.za

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