Extradition process under way in missing Sodwana skipper case

Police have confirmed that legalities and paperwork involved in extraditing the number one suspect in the case relating to missing Sodwana Bay skipper John Matambu, are fully under way.

As the search for Matambu was about to enter its seventh day, a breakthrough came on Friday evening when Ferdie Visser was apprehended in the small town of Macia in north-west Mozambique.

News that he was in police custody was confirmed by Matambu’s nephew Mike Eilertsen, who has been working closely with all law enforcement units involved in the elaborate cross-border search since the outset.

Confirming the arrest, SAPS KZN spokesperson Lt/Col Nqobile Gwala on Tuesday said the police are still busy with the extradition process to South Africa.

Visser’s picture had been circulated widely among the media and concerned local groups, throughout KZN and into Mozambique, with numerous perceived sightings and thousands of tips filtering through to investigators.

This after Matambu – the name affectionately bestowed on him by locals and by which he was widely known, rather than by his birth surname, Dercksen – had taken Visser to sea on charter boat ‘Magnum Too‘ on Saturday, 16 March.

Soon after, contact was lost and the search began when he failed to return to Sodwana.

The boat was found burnt-out and beached in Mozambique a day later.

One man was confirmed apprehended and questioned by police at nearby Mbazwana on Wednesday, until Matambu’s family, after being sent a photograph, determined it was not Visser.

Holidaymaker spots suspect

According to Candice Eilertsen, who has been the Matambu family’s media link throughout this ordeal, Visser being in police custody was largely thanks to a holidaymaker named Victor, who spotted him in Mozambique.

“Victor then had his wife call me, and was instrumental in leading the authorities directly to Ferdie Visser,” said Candice.

“Remarkably, Victor refused to accept the reward, stating that good things are done for the good of society, and not for the money.

“Again, another example of the calibre of people caught up in the quest to bring John Matambu home.”

Candice on Saturday went on to say Visser reportedly did not resist arrest and, although he was questioned after his apprehension, had not admitted to anything.

She said the family remains hopeful that John Matambu will soon be found alive.

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