'Prinsloo' makes demands
2009-03-31 08:01
Johannesburg - Dirk Prinsloo will only be caught when it suits him "or if another kind of accident/act of God befalls him".
This is what someone pretending to be Prinsloo wrote in an e-mail to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to "negotiate" his return from "forced exile".
According to copies of the letters in Beeld's possession, the NPA has reacted to the e-mail and said it was receiving "urgent attention".
NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali said they could not yet confirm whether the e-mail was from Prinsloo himself.
He said even if it were, the NPA would not negotiate on the basis of conditions set by someone it regarded as a fugitive.
"We will not allow him to prescribe to us," Tlali said.
Prinsloo stood trial in the then Pretoria High Court on 16 charges, including rape, indecent assault, soliciting or enticement of minors for immoral acts, and the possession and creation of child pornography.
Feared for the safety of his child
He fled the country in May 2006 at the time of his joint trial with Cézanne Visser, also known as "Advocate Barbie".
"Prinsloo" wrote that he had intended to return from a business trip to Russia, but while he was there he heard for the first time that he was going to become a father.
For "fear of the safety" of his child's mother, who was not identified, and because he would not receive a fair trial, he decided to flee.
The writer insisted that he wanted to negotiate directly with Advocate Mokotedi Mpshe, acting director of public prosecutions.
He made two demands - to be released on bail again and that an "impartial" judge like Johan Els or Judge Willem van der Merwe handled his trial.
Els was killed in a car accident in May 2007, exactly a year after Prinsloo skipped the country.
Police, Interpol investigating
Superintendent Tummi Golding, national police spokesperson on criminal intelligence and Interpol, confirmed that they were investigating the e-mail.
She said the police was working closely with the NPA, the Department of Justice and the Department of Foreign Affairs to follow up leads.
According to Advocate André Fourie, the prosecutor in Visser's trial - which was postponed until June - the latest developments would not affect his case.
Advocate Johann Engelbrecht SC, Visser's legal representative, said on Monday he had conveyed the news of the e-mail to Visser and her mother, Susan Lemmer, and that they were "upset".
The person who created the e-mail address did not respond to Beeld's enquiries.
