Lotz: 'Evidence fabricated'

2007-08-13 14:01

Cape Town - An American fingerprint expert on Monday accused police of fabricating fingerprint evidence to secure a conviction in the Inge Lotz hammer murder.

Pat Wertheim was the first witness to be called in defence of accused Fred van der Vyver, who has elected not to take the stand himself.

Wertheim told the court he had examined two prints of Van der Vyver's, which the police claimed came from a DVD cover in Lotz' flat and which had the potential to destroy his alibi.

Wertheim said however that the prints were "absolutely consistent" with a lift taken from a drinking glass.

"Lift number one has all of the characteristics of fabricated fingerprint evidence and, in my opinion, is intentionally fabricated fingerprint evidence," he said.

Lotz, a University of Stellenbosch masters student, was found bludgeoned to death in her flat on the outskirts of the town in 2005.

She was Van der Vyver's girlfriend.

- SAPA