Cape Town – A South African suspect, Neville van der Westhuizen, wanted in connection with the 2014 murder of two Irish nationals, appeared in the Durban Regional Court on Thursday for an extradition inquiry.
Van der Westhuizen, who is currently serving a 15-year sentence for murder in South Africa, fears for his life if he’s extradited to Ireland, News24 reported.
His lover and co-accused, Ruth Lawrence, was arrested in 2022 and deported to Ireland in May 2023.
During the court proceedings, Van der Westhuizen’s defence attorney requested a six-week adjournment to consult with his client and research newly discovered affidavits, which were dated August 2023 but only disclosed to the defence in September.
“The affidavits are dated 17 and 18 August 2023, yet they were only discovered [by] the defence on 18 September 2023, three days before this inquiry,” the report quoted legal aid defence attorney Ntando Cele as saying.
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The defence alleged that the State deliberately delayed sharing these documents.
However, the State opposed the postponement, citing diplomatic processes and the year-long delay in the case.
The magistrate ultimately ruled against the postponement, ordering the State to proceed with the case.
The defence argued against extradition, citing Van der Westhuizen’s existing prison sentence in South Africa and death threats he had received, claiming he would be executed once he landed in Ireland.
The prosecutor dismissed these reasons, emphasising the possibility of extradition and characterising the threats as vague. The case was scheduled for further consultation between Van der Westhuizen and his defence.
Van de Westhuizen, 40 and his girlfriend Lawrence, who was arrested by the Hawks in Bloemfontein in October last year, were both linked to the crime in Ireland.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe, both Van der Westhuizen and Lawrence are wanted in connection with the double murder of two friends in Ireland, IOL reported at the time.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
