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Gerhard Jansen van Vuuren.
- Gerhard Jansen van Vuuren was arrested in Rio de Janeiro after being on the wanted list for 7 years.
- He allegedly fled the country just days before being tried in 2013 for the alleged murder of his ex-girlfriend in Johannesburg in 2011.
- Van Vuuren allegedly fled the country with false documents.
Gerhard Jansen van Vuuren was extradited from Brazil on Friday and will face music in South Africa after being on the run for seven years, after he allegedly fled his murder trial for the alleged murder of his ex-girlfriend in 2011.
According to the police, Van Vuuren was due to stand trial in 2013 after allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend, Andrea Venter, to death outside their home in Johannesburg in December 2011.
Van Vuuren allegedly attempted suicide at the crime scene. He was later charged with murder in the Randburg Magistrates Court.
The case moved to the Johannesburg High Court, where he was granted bail, but he fled the country days before the start of his trial in May 2013.
The 39-year-old man used false travel documents to skip the country, police said.
READ ALSO | Fugitive wanted and charged with murder finally captured in Brazil, 7 years later
Subsequently, Interpol Pretoria issued an arrest warrant in which a process to trace and locate him was expedited. He was subsequently arrested by Brazilian authorities in August 2013 on one count of false documentation and [was] unfortunately released in 2015 after serving a sentence for this crime.
Contact
“For several years, Interpol Pretoria had been in contact with Brazilian authorities to locate him. In June 2020, the collaborative efforts of the investigation teams culminated in the arrest of the alleged fugitive killer at an identified address in Brazil,” said the Police spokesman, Colonel Athlenda. Mathe said.
Mathe said Jansen van Vuuren was expected to land at OR Tambo International Airport at 1:00 p.m. accompanied by an Interpol investigation team who located him.
He has been in police custody in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, since his arrest.
SAPS management has commended the work done by everyone involved in the investigation.
National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole said: “This is the culmination of the hard work and tireless efforts of our law enforcement officers, including the Investigative Psychology Section (IPS) within SAPS, Interpol Pretoria, the National Prosecutor’s Office (NPA) and the Federal Police.
“This is indeed a victory for us as a service, thanks to the team that did not give up even after years of hard work. Our goal is to bring closure to the family and friends of the deceased, as well as to ensure that justice has been served “.
