PORT ELIZABETH - MURDERER HANDS HIMSELF OVER TO POLICE FOR FATAL ASSAULT OF HELENVALE MAN

A 30-year-old male handed himself over to police in Addo on Tuesday afternoon, 24 November 2020 for the alleged murder of a  24-year-old man on 16 February 2020.

Initial statements provided to police at the time of the incident was that on the mentioned date at about 23:00, three people were working on a construction site in Keeton Road. 

Due to the inclement weather, they remained in the vehicle. 

It is further alleged that an unknown person attempted to break into the vehicle. 

The suspect was unaware that anyone was in the vehicle as it was dark. 

When the suspect realised that there were people in the vehicle, he tried to run away. 

The occupants ran after him and caught him. As they were trying to put him in the back of their VW Golf, he managed to escape once again and ran away. 

The occupants chased after him.  

While running he got onto the N2 and it is alleged that he slipped on the gravel road and fell over into Keeton Road. He died at the scene.  

An inquest docket was opened and was under investigation by SAPS Algoa Park detectives.

The identity of the deceased was unknown at the time. 

His fingerprints were taken and sent to forensics for identity as well as to the Department of Home Affairs. 

In June 2020, the Department of Home Affairs supplied a name (Givan Van Der Merwe) however the address given did not exist and therefore was incorrect.

The investigating officer D/Const Wayne Appolis made enquiries with SAPS Gelvandale detectives and with the Bureau of Missing Persons to establish whether anyone by the given name was reported missing. 

The results were negative.

On 16 July 2020, he was given a pauper’s burial.  At the time of the burial, he was still unknown. The post mortem result indicated that he died due to spinal injuries due to a blunt force.

However, the inquest investigation continued and the intuition of D/Const Appolis   paid off when he decided to visit the addresses of the street name that sounded familiar to what was initially given to him. 

On 7 September 2020, he went to Stag Street in Helenvale and found the family of the deceased. 

The family could not give an explanation to the investigating officer as to the reason that they did not report him missing.

The investigation took a twist, when on Tuesday, 24 November 2020, the 30-year-old male (one of the men that were in the vehicle at the time of the incident) handed himself to police. 

He subsequently confessed that the victim Givan Van der Merwe was allegedly assaulted by him after he caught him.

The inquest has now been changed to murder.

Emmanuel September appeared in the New Brighton magistrates’ court on 26 November 2020 on a charge of murder and defeating the ends of justice. He is remanded in custody until the 3 December 2020 for a formal bail application.

via - SAPS