Cops crashed in on Boeremag duo
2007-01-22 07:25
Pretoria - Two Boeremag refugees, who escaped in May last year while on trial for murder, treason and terrorism, had a beer in their new townhouse flat
Just hours later, heavily armed police crashed in on them through the ceiling of the flat, before they could even reach the loaded automatic weapons that lay next to their mattresses.
Herman van Rooyen and Rudi Gouws were arrested less than 48 hours after moving with a few sticks of furniture into the Villa Mignon townhouse complex in Lyttelton, Centurion.
In a dramatic pre-dawn operation, heavily armed police swooped down on them through the ceiling of their townhouse.
On Friday evening, a few hours before they were arrested, they were having a beer on the veranda of the townhouse with a friend.
At 03:20 on Saturday, the police literally swooped in on them through the ceiling before they had time to reach for the loaded R-1 automatic rifles that lay next to their mattresses.
Had a beer on the veranda
A townhouse complex resident, who did not want to be named, said Gouws and van Rooyen arrived with a 4x4 vehicle on Thursday.
All they brought with them were mattresses, still wrapped in bags, a sofa, a television set, table and fridge.
There was someone else with them, a neatly dressed man.
On Friday evening, they had a beer on their veranda.
The woman could not believe it when she heard that they were the two Boeremag fugitives.
"I didn't recognise them, but now I'm afraid they'll think I was the one who told the police about them," she said shakily.
A reliable source at the complex said on Sunday that the suspects were very difficult people.
"There was a form they had to complete, but they never did."
"They were either too busy or in a hurry. The only information on the form is that the townhouse belongs to a Johan Greyling and that he intends to keep four vehicles on the premises," said the source.
On Sunday, a blue 4x4 vehicle with an Mpumalanga registration and a trailer were parked in the parking area of the complex.
It was parked in another resident's parking space, but he said he had been unable to contact the owner since last Thursday.
Van Rooyen and Gouws escaped in May 2006 from Pretoria High Court where they were appearing on 43 counts, including treason, murder and terrorism.
Charges of escaping from custody and the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition will be added to the charge sheet.
Sunrises and sunsets
But Gouws and van Rooyen felt it had been worthwhile.
They told Beeld before their brief appearance in Pretoria magistrate's court on Saturday morning: "We could see the sunrises and sunsets again, and it was good to be on the outside."
Christmas was also great, we even slept a bit in the afternoon."
Van Rooyen said they were sad to be in custody again.
"It came as a bit of a surprise."