Fleeing lawyer arrested for Jacques Freitag murder in Nelspruit

In a dramatic development in the shock murder case of former high jump world champion Jacques Freitag, police have arrested disgraced former lawyer Rudolph “Rudie” Lubbe between Nelspruit (now Mbombela) and Sabie on Tuesday, 16 July.

Lubbe has been on the run from the law with his long-time lover, Shantellè Oosthuizen, after the police in Hercules, Pretoria, obtained warrants of arrest for the couple on charges of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Oosthuizen and Lubbe, who are both from Pretoria, dropped off the radar after they were questioned in connection with the brutal murder of Freitag.

Jacques Freitag murder: Rudie Lubbe arrested

Specialist private investigator Mike Bolhuis, whose Specialized Security Services (SSS) task team have been working closely with the police to track down the fugitive couple, confirmed Lubbe’s arrest to The Citizen.

“He did not hand himself over to the police, but was arrested at about 10am. Oosthuizen is still at large,” Bolhuis revealed.

“Lubbe will be transported to the Hercules Police Station where the murder case of Freitag is under investigation.”

Lubbe en route from Mbombela to Pretoria

According to Lubbe’s lawyer, Shawn Hefferman, he was contacted by the former attorney’s son, Lenus Lubbe, this morning.

Hefferman confirmed that Lubbe was being transported in a police van and that he is expected to arrive at the Hercules Police Station later this afternoon.

“We do not know what the official charges are yet, but we will be applying for bail,” he told The Citizen.

Who is Rudie Lubbe?

In 2006, Lubbe was struck off the roll of attorneys after complaints from the Law Society of the Northern provinces that he had been unprofessional and had stolen money from his trust account.

He also made headlines back in August 2004 after being arrested for allegedly threatening to kill his then wife, Magdaline.

Jacques Freitag murder saga

Freitag was last seen alive when he left a guesthouse in Booysens, Pretoria West, on foot on 18 June.

He had been dropped there the previous day by Lubbe who fetched him from the Bronkhorstspruit home of his mother, Hendrina Pieters, at 1am in the morning to allegedly pay him for “a job”.

Freitag’s decomposing body was found on 1 July with three gunshot wounds and a broken arm in a field near the Zandfontein Cemetery, which is situated about 4km from the guesthouse.

The 2.04m-tall former top athlete was also stabbed several times.

Alleged love triangle

The “job” for which Lubbe is said to have owed the former star athlete money, appears to have been a botched “hit” on Oosthuizen’s fiancé, the 31-year-old Louis Harmse.

Oosthuizen and Lubbe dated for 16 years before she met Harmse in March 2023 at De La Rey’s, Lenus’ pub and grill in Bela-Bela.

Despite getting engaged to Harmse after a whirlwind romance, Oosthuizen stayed in close contact with Lubbe.

Vicious attack before high jumper’s murder

Harmse told Rapport that he was allegedly attacked by Freitag with a brick on 13 June.

The attack on Harmse took place five days before the 42-year-old high jump star was last seen alive leaving the guesthouse.

Freitag was reportedly a close friend of Lubbe and Oosthuizen, with Harmse also being one of his acquaintances.

Captain Martin Smith confirmed that Harmse has laid charges of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder against Oosthuizen and Lubbe.

The attack on Harmse took place five days before the former golden boy of South African athletics was last seen alive leaving the guest house.

This is a developing story.

• Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Oosthuizen is encouraged to contact Captain Smith on 082 778 9385; the Saps CrimeStop number, 08600 10111; or SSS investigators Hennie Viljoen at 061-528-1370 (henniev@mikebolhuis.co.za) and Vince Harris at 082-673-1830 (vinceh@mikebolhuis.co.za).

NOW READ: The lawyer, the lover and the high jumper: Insiders lift lid on Freitag murder saga