An Old Mutual actuary testified to having seen Fred van der Vyver at work in Pinelands between 5 and 6pm on the day of the murder.

Stefanus van der Spuy alleged that the head of the investigation, Attie Trollip had intimidated him during questioning about his original statement supporting Fred’s alibi.

Van der Spuy said he had a desk next to Van der Vyver’s in March 2005. He had only joined the company earlier in January and said that he didn’t know Fred very well, although they did play on the same Old Mutual cricket team.

When questioned by defence advocate, Dup de Bruyn, he testified that he had seen Fred for at least the last half an hour of the day in question. In addition he stated that Fred’s behaviour had seemed normal.

A few days later he received an email from someone in another division which was addressed to his boss Shahana Toefy saying that the police wanted to know where Fred was on the day of the murder.

A few days before June 15, the day Fred was arrested,Wholesale Prada, a private security company hired by the van der Vyver family, Quemic,Gucci Handbags, took statements from all Fred’s colleagues.

On 20 June Attie Trollip visited Old Mutual to question Fred’s colleagues as well. Van der Spuy said Trollip had told him he had a problem with his statement and claimed that cellphone and other proof put Van der Vyver in Stellenbosch from 5pm to 6pm.

Trollip then asked van der Spuy if he wanted to change his statement, to which he refused.

“We continued talking and then he said he could charge me with conspiracy to murder. I felt uncomfortable and intimidated,” said Van der Spuy.

Carine Teunissen then cross-examined for the state and again van der sput said that he had seen Fred for the last 45 minutes of the day. After some pressure, he admitted that it could have been closer to 30 minutes.

He could not recall if Fred had changed his clothes that day but mentioned hat cricket players had access to the locker rooms on the Old Mutual fields during the day.

When asked about the alleged intimidation, he said he felt Trollip had tried to test him.

He could not explain to the court why he did not feel the need to discuss this intimidation to either his bosses, work colleagues or to the private security company.

He said that he felt intimidated when told he could be charged with obstruction of justice if Van der Vyver was found guilty.

“,Wholesale Replica Handbags;First you said conspiracy and now obstruction of justice. Which is it?” Teunissen asked. Van der Spuy said he had meant to say conspiracy.

When Justice Deon van Zyl asked him whether Trollip was perhaps trying to protect him from making a false statement,Prada Handbags, van der spuy agreed that it could be possible.

Comments:

Having been a witness in another trial, I know exactly what van der Spuy went through. I was also threatened with legal action if I did not say what they wanted me to say. Also at the time I did not know who I could turn to to talk about the matter. I didn’t know any of the other key players. As a result I decided to just tell the truth as I saw it, but all the time I was petrified of being charged with obstruction of justice or some other charge.

This tactic is often used by police to get the desired result. Once they believe a person is guilty, they want all the statements to gel to their theory.

OK maybe it wasn’t 45 minutes, but rather closer to 30 minutes. The point is that he saw him. he has nothing to gain by covering up for Fred – he barely knew him.

On the other hand it doesn’t really make too much of a difference to the alibi.

Fred was definitely in the Old Mutual area at 3:29pm when he retrieves his voicemail. This is confirmed by cell records which show he used the cell tower near the office. The next time we can be definite that he was in the office was at 5:14pm when he logged on to his office machine. This leaves a space of 1 hour 45 mins unaccounted for. And this is crucial. Taking into account the travelling time of the 80 mins round trip, he would have 25 mins to meet Inge, commit the murder and then clean up. Now this is not a long time, but is it possible to do – yes it is. Where was he during this time? He claims he was in the training session, but we have not yet heard any testimony from colleagues saying that he definitely was there.

I would suggest looking back at my article on the alibi to make up your own conclusions.