A former police inspector on Monday battled emotions in the Cape High Court as he told how he found a senior colleague's three young children dead in their home.

Former inspector Jaap Koekemoer, at the time attached to the Special Task Unit, told the court he was alerted to a possible shooting on the night of 28 July 2006.

On trial on three charges of murder before Judge Willem Louw and assessor M Powell, is former police senior superintendent Marius van der Westhuizen, the father of the three children.

Prosecutor Mornay Julius alleged that Van der Westhuizen shot dead his three children after a confrontation with his wife Charlotte, also a police officer, about her long working hours.

Koekemoer said he was first briefed about the incident by his commander before making his way to the Van der Westhuizen home.

Koekemoer said as an experienced sniper his role was to lie on the roof of the house with his rifle, as he and colleagues searched for Van der Westhuizen.

He said he was on the roof for about 30 minutes before he received orders to enter the house.

Koekemoer said he went into the house but knew that Van der Westhuizen was somewhere in the back yard. It was approaching midnight, he said.

He said he accompanied a small group into the house through the unlocked front door.

The house was in disarray, as if there had been a fight.

Koekemoer's voice faltered as he told the court: "We entered the first bedroom, and there was Van der Westhuizen's little boy lying on his bed with a bullet wound to his head."

At this stage Van der Westhuizen himself, seated in the dock, began weeping loudly also, as he had done throughout the trial whenever mention was made of the children.

Koekemoer said he and his group went into the second bedroom, where two girls, covered in a blanket, lay dead.

The group then entered the main bedroom, which was also in disarray.

From the main bedroom they went to the kitchen. The kitchen door to the back yard was locked. They had to break down the door, he said.

The trial continues.

Sapa