SA man can be extradited to face murder charges

The Durban Magistrate's Court has ruled that SA citizen Neville van der Westhuizen is liable for extradition to Ireland to face trial for a double murder he allegedly committed in 2014. According to a News24 report, Magistrate Kevin Bruorton said it was now up to Justice Minister Ronald Lamola to decide whether Van der Westhuizen should be surrendered to Ireland. Van der Westhuizen allegedly committed the double murder with his lover, Irish national Ruth Lawrence, before fleeing to SA. The bodies of their alleged victims, Eoin O'Connor (32) and Anthony Keegan (33), were found wrapped in plastic sheeting and buried in a shallow grave on the Irish island of Inchicup in May 2014. It's believed the incident stemmed from a drug-related dispute. Lawrence was arrested in Bloemfontein in October 2022 and deported in May last year. She has been held in an Irish prison ever since. Van der Westhuizen was traced to the Westville prison in November 2022, where he is serving a 15-year-sentence for a murder he committed when he returned to SA. During the extradition request hearing, which was finalised in December, Van der Westhuizen alleged that threats had been made against him in Ireland and urged the court not to extradite him. He said he had received at least four threatening calls between 2015 and 2020, and a Facebook message suggesting that he would be executed as soon as he landed in Ireland. When asked for evidence, he said he could not provide it but urged the court to believe him all the same. Bruorton said: ‘I cannot conclude that the respondent has provided evidence which justifies his fear for his safety. In any event, the evidence … indicates that the prison authorities in Ireland do have procedures and measures in place to protect prisoners whose safety is a concern.’ Bruorton said Van der Westhuizen had 15 days to appeal. He is back in custody.