Probe led to arrest of couple in missing Cape Town businessman case

An investigation by a private kidnapping and extortion consultant led to the arrest of the Durbanville pair said to be involved in the disappearance of slain Cape Town businessman Robin Kemper.

Private security company TSU gave police information they gathered while trying to find Kemper‚ which resulted in the arrests of Gary Peckham‚ 47‚ and Hundra Wallendorf‚ 32 on Thursday.

The former Infovest CEO is now presumed dead‚ after the decapitated body of a yet-to-be-identified man was discovered under a bridge in Touws River on Friday.

Software company StatPro employed TSU International to find Kemper shortly after his wife had reported him missing on Tuesday evening last week.

"StatPro confirms that it engaged the services of the private investigators TSU International on Tuesday 24th October when Robin Kemper disappeared‚” said the company’s chief executive and the Kemper family spokesperson‚ Justin Wheatley.

“TSU International worked closely with the police in establishing what happened to Robin‚ as well as the apprehension and charging of the two suspects.”

Kidnapping and extortion consultant for TSU Herman Bosman confirmed that the suspects were from Durbanville and were self-employed‚ but would not share further details about the investigation.

“We had an investigation on our side and gave police what we had. [The suspects were identified] pretty much on what we did‚” said Bosman‚ the former provincial head of the SAPS hostage negotiation team.

“I wouldn’t like to comment on it now because it may have an impact on what happens later in the [court] case. It’s too sensitive right now to say what they did and how they went about things."

Wheatley‚ who was a close friend of Kemper‚ said that he last saw Kemper on the day before his disappearance.

“I saw him on the Monday for a business lunch and he was very happy and relaxed‚” Wheatley said.

“We spoke about the future and he was very motivated and keen. It’s very surreal that he was there one day and not the next.”

Peckham and Wallendorf appeared in the Bellville Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges of kidnapping and murder‚ according to NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila. But Bosman said police were yet to determine the identity of the body found in Touwsrivier.

Bosman said: “With where the investigation is it’s difficult to say anything until some of the facts are proven. Such as is it his body or not? Was it a kidnapping or not? Was it a murder and not a kidnapping? All of that is being investigated.”

However family and friends have already accepted that it was Kemper's body found on Friday.

The suspects will appear in court again for a bail application hearing on November 24.