The totality of evidence before the court overwhelmingly points to the guilt of the accused, beyond a reasonable doubt. The version he submitted is fabricated and should be rejected as false. There is only one inference, that the accused is the one who killed his wife and he should be convicted as charged. This was the conclusion of the closing argument by senior state prosecutor Susan Galloway in the case of Rob Packham.
The Western Cape High Court case against the Constantia man accused of allegedly murdering his wife Gill Packham resumed today, Wednesday April 24 with the prosecution giving closing argument (“Packham agitated under cross-examination”, Bulletin April 18).
Mr Packham was supported in court by his sister Judith Markwell and daughter Nicola, both of whom testified in the case since it began on March 11.
Mr Packham is accused of murdering his wife with a blow, or two, to the head with a blunt object on February 22, 2018. He is alleged to have put her in the boot of her green BMW, driven it to Diep River railway station where he later set it alight. He is also accused of disposing of evidence, including the numberplates and murder weapon and of providing false information to the police in order to derail or mislead the investigation.
As the trial began, and after handcuffs were removed from Mr Packham, Judge Eliza Steyn asked Ms Galloway about the motive for murder. She responded that Mr Packham found himself in a “tight spot”, between the two women in his life, witness X and wife Gill Packham who had issues of trust about his disclosures of the affair.
Ms Galloway said that after having lunch with his mistress the day before the murder there were discussions about him having to make a decision about a divorce, because he “loved his life, not his wife”.
Defence advocate Craig Webster’s closing argument begins tomorrow, Thursday April 25.
