Missing Sodwana Bay skipper case revived

Calling for an update in the seemingly cold case of missing Sodwana Bay skipper John ‘Matambu’ Dercksen, Advocate Gerrie Nel on Friday issued a scathing letter addressed to the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Nel was recently appointed by Dercksen’s sister Cherie Eilertsen to take the case further.

Outlining the ‘undisputed facts’ of the matter, Nel questioned why the SAPS is seemingly more interested in the status of the docket than using all evidence at their disposal to carry out a thorough investigation.

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“We are astounded that the NPA treats the investigation of what is unquestionably a murder (as opposed to a missing person) as separate from the fraud allegations,” said Nel, calling for the accused, Thomas Frederik ‘Verdie’ Visser, to be prosecuted in one trial for both fraud and murder.

In what Nel termed an ‘indictment against the parole system’, he said the situation presented is that within 10 days of being granted parole, the accused allegedly stole, defrauded and committed murder.

Nel said, during consultations between NPA prosecutors and boat owner Reghardt Scott and Eilertsen to inform them of the fraud charge being withdrawn, prosecutors ‘inexplicably’ advised Eilertsen to register a murder docket regarding the disappearance of Dercksen.

“Unsurprisingly, the SAPS frowned on her attempts to register a new docket because a missing person ‘docket’ had already been opened by Scott.”

Consultations revealed that the fraud matter was enrolled prematurely when there was still an outstanding investigation.

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Referring to the information Eilertsen has gathered in her own attempt to seek justice for her brother, Nel said the ‘impressive docket’ records ‘extensive circumstantial evidence’ that was provided to the NPA and SAPS.

“Your prosecutors admitted that the evidence she had collected was essential and indicated that the investigating officer would be instructed to obtain an affidavit from her.

“Following the instruction of the NPA, Eilertsen travelled to Mbazwana Police Station and provided a statement on 20 May.”

Nel said the detective took the statement, but disallowed inclusion of all the evidence or witnesses collected by her, ‘telling her she is not an investigating officer’.

“Despite attempts to keep the line of communication open, no steps were taken to investigate the circumstantial evidence she had provided,” said Nel.

Neither has Scott been contacted by the police since the withdrawal of the fraud charge, despite ongoing investigations.

“The inference is apt that hollow commitments to conduct further investigations were made merely to appease our clients,” said Nel, adding that it appears the authorities ‘hope our interest will wane’.

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