Family doubt Dubai confession

2008-09-17 10:46

A photo of Kerry Winter on the Facebook group started by her family.

Verashni Pillay

Dubai - The family of a South African woman missing in Dubai are sceptical of news reports that her ex-boyfriend has confessed to killing her, the woman's niece said on Wednesday.

Dubai newspaper, Khaleej Times, quoted a police source as saying Briton Mark Arnold, 42, who was arrested by Dubai police last month in connection with the disappearance of South African Kerry Winter, confessed to her murder on August 20.

Winter, 35, was last seen being beaten and bundled into her car last month.

Locally 702 Eyewitness news also reported that Arnold confessed to the murder, while Gulf News reported that Arnold told police she was dead in the car while with him, but he had not confessed to murdering her.

Search continues

But the family has continued combing the desert in its search for Winter, saying they are sceptical of the reports.

"We have been made aware of the article in the Khaleej Times where the police have released a statement about the suspect confessing to murdering Kerry," said Winter's niece, Natasha Giles on a Facebook group the family has started about the disappearance.

"We as a family are sceptical of this for a couple of reasons:
1) there are now three different stories that have come from the suspect;
2) they have not found Kerry's body;
3) there are still strong signs from four different mediums around the world saying that she is alive."

Giles said the family were meeting with Dubai police on Wednesday morning, adding that the South African embassy had been unsuccessful in doing so.

The Khaleej Times said Winter's brother, Kurt had confirmed that his sister had been dating a Briton, but had recently ended the relationship.

Seven years in Dubai

Kerry has worked in Dubai for seven years, most recently at international conferences and exhibitions.

Her relationship with her ex-boyfriend, the suspect, was said to have been difficult, and one she tried to escape.

Witnesses to the beating, Winter's neighbours from Al Barsha, have testified that it was severe.

"We tried to rescue her but the attacker turned on us with the baseball bat. She was on the ground bleeding from her head, he hit her head and dragged her and shoved her into the car," witnesses told Dubai police, according to the Khaleej Times.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in South Africa was unable to offer any comment, saying they were still waiting on the embassy in Dubai.

- News24