KNYSNA NEWS - It is unclear whether new information or definitive response to previous testimonies and evidence regarding yet another unsolved Knysna murder case, the killing of Emmerenthia Witbooi (31) in 2012, has led to the sudden arrest of a 25-year-old suspect.
He appeared in the Knysna Magistrate’s Court on Monday, October 19, and the case has been postponed until Tuesday, October 27 for a bail application. The suspect faces charges of both rape and murder and will remain in custody.
The Knysna Police media liaison, Sergeant Chris Spies declined to comment whether the suspect was in fact the same individual who had in 2012, under intense pressure from the Hornlee community, shown the police where the deceased's body could be found.
Witbooi, the mother of two who lived in Charlie Levack Street, was reported missing on July 27 2012 and her naked body was found only several days later on August 5 2012 in Chapel Street, near the Hornlee Clinic. At the time of her disappearance, Witbooi’s family and friends were extremely frustrated with what they believed was a lack of police interest.
Only after Knysna executive mayor Georlene Wolmarans personally became involved and participated in the search with community members, the Knysna Fire Brigade and Knysna Law Enforcement officials, was the body found.
The case also came to the attention of the minister of Community Safety, Dan Plato, who attended a meeting in 2014 to discuss the high number of unsolved murders in Knysna. At the meeting he gave instruction that progress in this investigation was to be reported to his office as well as to Wolmarans.
Previously, Plato had already written two letters specifically regarding the Witbooi case, to then police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Arno Lamoer (dated August 15, 2012 and March 1, 2013). Plato’s letter stated,“SAPS in Knysna appear to have been unresponsive and did not follow up on vital information, which could have led to the discovery of the body days earlier.”
Knysna-Plett Herald news editor, Christo Vermaak, who held a meeting with family members of victims of unsolved murders in Knysna, at a venue in the Hornlee Civic Centre this year on June 29, also met with Witbooi’s parents. At the time, the deceased's mother, Katrina Luiters, said that her daughter’s youngest child (aged three at the time of her death) had been extremely traumatised by the disappearance of her mother. “She keeps asking if she can go and see her mother and then we have to tell her, her mother is with the Lord.”
Witbooi’s stepfather, Hendrik Luiters, also complained that he believed that the Knysna SAPS had known all along who had been responsible for his step-daughter’s demise. “I can’t believe that they keep swallowing all his (the suspect's) lies! He knew where her body was and he even took them there!”
On learning of the arrest for the murder of Witbooi, Knysna executive mayor, Georlene Wolmarans, who had met with the new Knysna station commander, Colonel Michael Taylor on Tuesday morning, October 20, responded: “I am extremely happy that an arrest has been made.
Now justice can take its course. We would like to thank our colleagues at the South African Police Services for their good work. My heart goes out to the family of Emmerenthia and hopefully they will now be able to find answers and closure.”
According to Spies, a decision to prosecute the suspect now in custody was reached on Friday, October 16.
Click here for previous articles:
- Unsolved murders still haunt relatives
- 80 unresolved murders haunt Knysna
- Information needed to conclude 2012 murder case
- Investigation into death of Hornlee woman.
- Residents question police's work
- Who killed my mother
- Update: Mother's body found
- Mother's body found
Hendrik Luiters, Emmerentia Witbooi's stepfather.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS: CHRISTO VERMAAK & ANOESCHKA VON MECK
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