Issued by: Department of Justice
It is hereby announced that a joint inquest, in terms of section 6A(3) f the Inquest Act, 1959 (Act 58 of 1959) has been ordered by the Minister of Justice, Dr A M Omar, MP, into the prostitute serial murders in the Western Cape.
This order follows on inquests held in different magisterial districts, into 9 deaths after the arrest on 21 June 1996 of Mr G Weir, after he had implicated himself in the serial murder of prostitutes on Radio Control in Pinelands. The magistrates were unable to find that the deaths were brought about by any acts or omissions prima facie involving or amounting to an offence on the part of any specific person.
The joint inquest into the remaining ten deaths, all of which occurred under similar circumstances, will be held in the Regional Court, Parow, since most of the deaths occurred in the magisterial districts of Belville and Kuils River.
The order for a joint inquest has been necessitated by the fact that the Attorney-General's Office has indicated that insufficient evidence exists to justify a prosecution against Mr Weir. therefore the aim of the joint inquest will be to provide more information by way of oral testimony. Mr Weir will also be called to testify at the inquest.
It is envisaged that this joint inquest will shed more light on the deaths of these women and that justice will ultimately prevail.
ISSUED BY THE CHIEF DIRECTORATE: COMMUNICATION SERVICES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
21 APRIL 1998 PRETORIA
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