Evidence Fabrication in South Africa

[African]

Fred van der Vyver, who was once accused of the murder of his girlfriend Inge Lotz, got married on December 17, Die Burger online reported on Wednesday.
According to the publication his wedding to Elmari Dorfling was held at Riebeek-Kasteel in the Cape winelands.
Van der Vyver was implicated in Lotz's murder in 2005, but in 2007 he was acquitted.
He then launched a malicious prosecution case against the minister of police, claiming R46 million in damages. In August the Western Cape High Court found in his favour. The matter was expected to go to the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein this year.
The amount to be awarded to him would be determined in a high court.
Lotz's murder remains unsolved. – Sapa

[pottoman]

Disturbing as it is to contemplate, I have always held the view that the man who killed Inge Lotz is an avid reader of this forum.

It is entirely conceivable that he keeps silent watch on us, quietly digesting the words that we write, amusing himself at our expense, his tortured mind forever contemptuous at our feeble efforts to unmask him.

For his is indeed a sad and wretched soul.

Because the life he thought he took that fateful afternoon did not die as he had planned. She lives on in the hearts and minds of countless South Africans, her brilliant star continues to burn bright and she will never be forgotten.

You see hers was a brilliance that far outshone him. It always did, and that is why he killed her.

The poor boy thought he could simply snuff out this vivid light and that the shadow in which he lived would be gone with it.

How wrong he was.

What a pathetic creature he must be, hiding away in some darkened room; unable to escape the vile secret he keeps locked away in that festering black hole he once believed to be his heart…

[African]

Fred (and the woman that he recently married); Inge’s parents and loved ones; Fred’s parents; those that contributed towards Fred’s defense; “those countless people in whose hearts and minds Inge lives”; our society; will to a varying degree never escape the immense grief, reality, responsibility, and consequence of Inge’s murder. Never. We will never fully escape the consequences of this act implicating or questioning individual’s or our society’s actions, character, morals, values, and our acceptance or ignorance of injustice (amongst others) – whether collectively or individually. That is until the murderer is finally brought to book.

For those involved, or whom Inge touched, there will be no closure until this pathetic creature, as Pottoman aptly called him, is brought to light. Whether by someone who shares or has insight in his dark secret, and acknowledges and understands his doomed fate and his potential to cause grief (a human being: father, mother, wife, friend or professional) or by someone with the experience, ability, and track record to persist with a set course of action.

And that is exactly why the murderer will be brought to book – simply because there are too many stakeholders, and as Pottoman pointed out, “she lives on in the hearts and minds of countless South Africans”.

And with reference to Pottoman’s opening comments, may I add: I believe that not only is the person that committed this murder reading this blog, but also that person that is going to bring him to light.

[Pat]

If I may be permitted to contribute another thought, I strongly suspect more than one living person knows the identity of the murderer. I believe a person or persons with a lesser degree of culpability knows the identity of the primary killer. I imagine that if an appropriate reward were accompanied by a grant of immunity from prosecution, such a person with lesser culpability would accept the offer. Is that ever done in South Africa?

[pottoman]

Yes.

[Big Wullie]

Fred van der Vyver, who was once accused of the murder of his girlfriend Inge Lotz, got married on December 17, Die Burger online reported on Wednesday.

Congratulations Fred.

I hope you are now capable of placing this dreadful and awful chapter of your life behind you now and move on.

Very best wishes

Wullie Beck

[African]

With reference to my previous posting, Wullie’s comment, and just plain common sense: Fred, in particular, will never fully escape the consequences of Inge’s murder. That is until Inge’s murder is solved.

Seven years ago, Inge was the woman that Fred was about to marry.

And yet, to date, apart from the South African Police, the only man that tried to solve her murder was Inge’s father. Now for a moment, try and imagine the direct (short of 5 million GBP) and indirect consequences that Fred (and his family and those contributing towards the war chest defending his innocence) will benefit if Fred was able to solve the murderer of the lady that he loved. And yet, Fred is not pursuing this avenue.
And that begs a serious question. Certainly not enough to accuse Fred of murder. No Wullie, but enough to state that Fred will never be “capable of placing this dreadful and awful chapter of his life behind him and move on”. Inge is not a chapter. Inge will forever be haunting Fred’s life until the awful creature that killed her is exposed. Amongst others, because the man that stated in court that he loved her, seems to be moving on and to be doing nothing.
Impossible, or love needs to be redefined.

[Big Wullie]

African you seem to be placing an undue burden on Fred to investigate this murder when this is the work of the serving police.

I do not know what makes you think this responsibility falls to Fred.

From what I know of the case Fred had a concrete Alibi which they totally ignored to concentrate on planting fingerprints and we all now know what happens with the fabricating of fingerprints or wrongly attributing marks to people.

In This instance I am more than positive the print did not come from any DVD or Video cover as was evidenced by real experts (Pat & Co) and had they properly concentrated on the evidence they might just have caught the real culprit.

You also appear to be suggesting in your inferences that Fred should not move on with his life or have I read your post incorrectly.

Most people in Fred's situation end up with PTSD and are incapable of moving on with their lives and for this reason I wish fred all the very best in life and hope sincerely that he can move on but deep down I just know somewhere along the line he will require lots of love and care from his family and perhaps even some counselling but for now please let him enjoy whatever he can after his ordeal.

I fully appreciate there is also a family left totally distressed by the outcome of this case and that the family of Inge are left with lots to cope with and my thoughts and prayers are also with them in their times of sadness and despair.

For them I hope the case is never closed and the police eventually find the real murderer or murderers.

[Big Wullie]

African you seem to be placing an undue burden on Fred to investigate this murder when this is the work of the serving police.

I do not know what makes you think this responsibility falls to Fred.

From what I know of the case Fred had a concrete Alibi which they totally ignored to concentrate on planting fingerprints and we all now know what happens with the fabricating of fingerprints or wrongly attributing marks to people.

In This instance I am more than positive the print did not come from any DVD or Video cover as was evidenced by real experts (Pat & Co) and had they properly concentrated on the evidence they might just have caught the real culprit.

You also appear to be suggesting in your inferences that Fred should not move on with his life or have I read your post incorrectly ?

Most people in Fred's situation end up with PTSD and are incapable of moving on with their lives and for this reason I wish fred all the very best in life and hope sincerely that he can move on but deep down I just know somewhere along the line he will require lots of love and care from his family and perhaps even some counselling but for now please let him enjoy whatever he can after his ordeal.

I fully appreciate there is also a family left totally distressed by the outcome of this case and that the family of Inge are left with lots to cope with and my thoughts and prayers are also with them in their times of sadness and despair.

For them I hope the case is never closed and the police eventually find the real murderer or murderers.

[African]

With reference to my previous posting, Wullie’s comment, and just plain common sense: Fred, in particular, will never fully escape the consequences of Inge’s murder. That is until Inge’s murder is solved.

Seven years ago, Inge was the woman that Fred was about to marry.

And yet, to date, apart from the South African Police, the only man that tried to solve her murder was Inge’s father. Now for a moment, try and imagine the direct (short of 5 million GBP) and indirect consequences that Fred (and his family and those contributing towards the war chest defending his innocence) will benefit if Fred was able to solve the murderer of the lady that he loved. And yet, Fred is not pursuing this avenue.
And that begs a serious question. Certainly not enough to accuse Fred of murder. No Wullie, but enough to state that Fred will never be “capable of placing this dreadful and awful chapter of his life behind him and move on”. Inge is not a chapter. Inge will forever be haunting Fred’s life until the awful creature that killed her is exposed. Amongst others, because the man that stated in court that he loved her, seems to be moving on and to be doing nothing.
Impossible, or love needs to be redefined.

[Big Wullie]

African

Perhaps you could tell us exactly what you want from Fred instead of just repeating your posts ?

What ecactly is your issue regarding the 5 Million Fred has incurred fighting to prove his Innocence.

I fail to see how you can burden Fred or his Family with the task of finding who murdered Inge surely this is the job of the state funded police ?

[Big Wullie]

This murder will forever be a stain on the credibility of SAPS for the way they tried and failed to frame an Innocent Man.

I think of this we can all agree.

[Pat]

. . . . . surely this is the job of the state funded police ?

In South Africa, as I understand it, things are not quite the same as in the US or Scotland. In South Africa, there are a lot of very competent private investigators, some former police and some not. While we do have PIs in the US, they mostly do things other than original criminal investigations. In South Africa, many of the private investigators do full criminal investigations as if they were the police. If they find a crime has occured and they have identified the perpetrator, then you can hire a lawyer to prosecute the case. They file the charges in court just as the public prosecutor would. Criminal charges do not have to be filed by the public prosecutor, but can be filed by a private attorney hired directly by you. Of course, this takes money, but it can be done.

Back in the mid 1980s, one of my jobs was to coordinate "Crime Stoppers" for the Plano, Texas, Police Department. I had experience writing press releases announcing rewards for crimes. When tips came in that led to arrests, we paid out cash for rewards.

You will recall that early in the investigation before Fred was arrested, the Lotzes had hired a private investigator. You will recall that after Fred was arrested, the Lotzes terminated the contract with the private investigator. You will recall that after he was no longer working on the case, the private investigator received a phone call from a person telling him that the caller could name the location of the murder weapon. Rather than take the information, the private investigator told the caller to call the police with that information. Whether that happened, we do not know.

But we do know that somebody in South Africa had sufficient pangs of conscience to want to share information with a private investigator. We can assume that person knew the identity of the killer. Would a reward and promise of anonymity at this late date bring that person back out? Is it worth a try?

What about it, African? Are my beliefs on the private investigator and private prosecutor correct? Would there be any likelihood of success in solving the murder of Inge Lotz if a private investigator were to offer a reward, coupled with a promise of anonymity?

[Big Wullie]

Hi Pat

the private investigator told the caller to call the police with that information. Whether that happened, we do not know.

Were the police willing to listen or were they so hellbent on pusuing Fred it would not have mattered what anyone had to say ?

Unless of course they were pointing to Fred.

I take on board what you are saying above but in Scotland evidence gained through rewards would not be trusted.

A bit like they are saying about the evidence of the Maltese shopkeeper Gauci in the Lockerbie case.

I also fail to see how African can lay the burden upon Fred to investigate this murder.

Even African concedes Fred is already out of pocket to the tune of 5 Million fighting to prove his innocence, why should he be out of pocket any further ?

Surely this duty lies with SAPS ?

Perhaps if others had not pursued Fred in the fashion they did then they too might have been able to hire a decent PI to investigate Independently.

Was the family of Inge not hell bent on pursuing Fred at one stage ?

Like I have said previously my sincere sympathies lie with the family.

[African]

Pat,
You are correct.
Although unconfirmed, it is believed that South Africa has one of the largest private security industries in the world. It is estimated that there are more than three private security officers for each member of the South African Police. Most of these private security officers are doing guard duty, (shops, businesses as well as tactical armed response supporting community neighbourhood watch programs) but yes, there are a large number of private investigators, and the South African Police has lost, and continues to lose many of their best investigators to the private sector. In many instances where a serious crime has been committed, and where the victim (or family and friends) can afford such an PI, they resort to this. Mostly the public and private sector get along and work well together but sometimes they clash especially when one side is pursuing an agenda (often money related). Both sides can be corrupted - it’s the same everywhere, even in the US.
Rewards can lead to corruption as well, as well as crazy people wasting valuable police time. People should tell what they know to the police out of moral conviction and to ease the suffering of the victim’s family, not because they are getting paid.

Big Wullie, I am not placing this burden on Fred. The current situation does.