Pieter van der Westhuizen case still under investigation, lawyer confirms

Van der Westhuizen, the brother of late Springbok legend Joost van der Westhuizen, shot and killed two armed robbers during an attack at a church in Centurion last year.

Earlier this week, the police inquest reportedly found that Van der Westhuizen acted in self-defence when he fired the lethal shots.

But his lawyer Ulrich Roux says they subsequently received a message from the police, confirming that the case is still being investigated.

“On Tuesday the 06 April at 11:00, my client received a formal SMS automated message from the police confirming that the matter where he shot and killed robbers has been finalised. He then contacted me and we confirmed with the investigative officer and he also confirmed that the matter has been finalized and closed off.

“And then when the media got hold of this it was widely reported on after which the provincial commissioner contacted my office and confirmed to us that it was an error and the matter hasn’t been closed off,” explains Roux.

Roux says the new development is frustrating for his client.

“It is obviously a very unfortunate and frustrating situation that the matter despite the police confirming that it’s been finalised, is now being investigated again.

“The only outstanding investigation is the autopsy and the ballistic report and we are saying this will not take the matter any further because our client confirmed that he was the one who shot and killed robbers. The police have already taken statements from eyewitnesses who were at church and this is already in their position, so I think I am not entirely convinced that waiting for the autopsy and ballistic report will take the matter any further.”

He says he is still hoping the charges against his client would be withdrawn in their entirety and the docket closed off.

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