Pauper's burial for French killer couple

2011-01-25 22:40

Johannesburg - The French couple who died in Karoo last week will be buried as paupers in South Africa, the Hawks said on Tuesday.

"The French embassy has decided that it will not take full responsibility for the burial," said spokesperson McIntosh Polela.

The couple, Philippe Menière, 60, and Agnes Jardel, 55, died on Thursday after police found them in a building on Hardie farm.

Jardel's brother, said Polela, had also agreed that she be buried in South Africa. He could not say when the burial would take place.

An autopsy has been conducted on the bodies.

Menière and Jardel were on the run for six days after allegedly shooting dead student Constable Jacob Boleme and wounding Warrant Officer Glenwell du Toit.

The couple were believed to have belonged to a survivalist cult.

Acted professionally

The Independent Complaints Directorate was investigating the shooting incident in the Karoo town of Sutherland last week.

French consul Antoine Michon told The Star newspaper on Tuesday that the police did offer the French couple who died in the Karoo a chance to surrender.

"We were told they were offered terms to surrender... I was told by a senior official," Michon said.

"We have no reason to believe the police did not act professionally."

The police would not say if they had been shot dead by police, if they had committed suicide or if they had been given a chance to surrender.

"They were shot in a house on the farm, and certified dead," said Lieutenant Colonel Hendrik Swart, declining to give more details.

Michon said Menière was 30 and Jardel 25 when they first arrived in South Africa.

"He was a medical doctor in France and worked for a pharmaceutical company. He had a good job. We don't have much information about her in France but she was very young when she left, 25, so probably recently finished university. They were both from Paris," Michon told The Star.

- SAPA