Dominee mystery still unsolved
2004-02-05 09:34
Pretoria - The media conference Reverend Paul Beyl held on Wednesday did little to unravel the mystery of his whereabouts last week while police searched and the country prayed for his safe return.
No questions were allowed and Beyl, 40, simply read out a statement, while his wife, Magda, sat in silence.
In his statement, Beyl expressed his "sincere regret". He said his actions clashed with the integrity, high values and holy character of the Evangelical Reformed Church in general and with the outstanding love of the Wonderboom congregation.
Beyl resigned from his position as dominee on Monday.
Slowly and in an emotional voice, he read: "I walk out of this matter as a deeply humiliated person, stripped of my position in the service of God, and with regret towards the congregation. I made many mistakes and would like to sincerely say that I am, with help, putting things right before God, the congregation and other aggrieved parties."
The drama started on Thursday night when Beyl was allegedly "kidnapped" from the vicarage in Wonderboom. Police were called in and a massive search was launched. People across the country prayed for his safe return.
Beyl said that he only heard about the uproar on Friday night while watching the 19:00 news bulletin on television.
In his statement, Beyl said a chain of events led police to believe he had been kidnapped. Skid marks about 200m from the vicarage were those of another wine-coloured car that had burst through a fence.
He said police radio control apparently reported having seen a vehicle with his registration number and three or four suspect persons in the Pretoria city centre and at Brooklyn.
"These circumstances gave rise to the belief that I had been kidnapped. I was not aware of what was happening in my absence."
He called his wife from the Pretoria Central police station on Saturday morning to tell her that he was unharmed. He didn't explain why he hadn't called her sooner, or where he had been all the time.
He initially told police in Johannesburg that he was hijacked, but later admitted that he had been busy with "other things". His statement offered no explanation.
He apologised to police for questioning their integrity by making a false statement.
Beyl will again appear in court later this month on charges of perjury and defeating the ends of justice.
He said the case was sub judice and that he would issue another statement once the case was finalised.