Interpol SA tracks down fugitives wanted in Ireland for double murder

Interpol South Africa is getting ready to extradite two fugitives wanted in connection with a double murder in Ireland in 2014. 

In a statement on Saturday police said they had tracked down Neville van der Westhuizen, a 40-year-old South African-born man was found in a prison in KwaZulu-Natal, serving a 15-year sentence for murder. His Irish ex-girlfriend Ruth Lawrence, 42, was nabbed in Bloemfontein last month. 

The couple allegedly murdered two people in Ireland in 2014 before fleeing the country. 

Police spokesperson Col Athlenda Mathe said Lawrence was traced by the Hawks.

“She has already appeared before the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on the murder charges. The matter has already been enrolled in court for an extradition inquiry. Van der Westhuizen has already appeared before the Durban magistrate’s court and his extradition inquiry has been postponed to December 12.”

In a separate matter, Mathe said the team had extradited a Botswana fugitive, Wazha Nthoiwa-Mazinyane, earlier this week. He was wanted in connection with armed robberies. 

“Mazinyane fled Botswana evading law enforcement after he was charged for offences relating to armed robberies in Botswana by Francistown police.”

National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola said SA is not a “playground” for criminals and fugitives.

“These ongoing arrests and takedown operations should send a stern warning to those fugitives of justice who are in the country and criminals in South Africa that we are squeezing the space for them to operate. Either they hand themselves over to authorities or we fetch them ourselves. South Africa is not a hiding place and a playground for criminals.”

On Thursday members from Interpol South Africa, organised crime, crime intelligence and the special task force swooped on a plush Bryanston home where they arrested a 46-year-old alleged gang leader attached to a criminal organisation in Israel called the “Abergil Organisation”.

Seven others were arrested on the property. 

According to Israeli authorities, the suspect is part of a notorious gang allegedly dealing in drugs, extortion and other criminal activities.

In 2003 and 2004 the suspect allegedly placed bombs under the vehicle of a man in Israel in two separate incidents. Five people sustained serious injuries in the first explosion but all survived.

On Thursday police seized:

• 3kg of drugs, suspected to be cocaine or crystal meth;
• 19 firearms, including two AK47s;
• Six motorbikes, of which three have been positively identified as stolen;
• Eight motor vehicles;
• Four drones fitted with cameras;
• One frequency-jamming device;
• Two bulletproof vests;
• Two money-counting machines;
• A digital scale, allegedly to weigh drugs;
• Four GPS tracking devices; and
• $40,000 (about R690,685) in cash.

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.