OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Friday 4.15pm.
WESTERN Cape provincial crime intelligence chief Jeremy Veary released an identikit of a bomb suspect without consulting policemen working on the case because he believed the suspect was being protected by top Western Cape detectives.
This information is contained in a signed statement by Veary, which he originally only intended to be released “should anything happen to my body or my person.”
However, Veary said, given the extent of police involvement, he decided to release both the identikit and his statement to the press.
The Mail & Guardian reported on Friday that Mostert had claimed he was being protected by three top policemen, Director Leonard Knipe, Captain Mike Barkhuizen and a Captain Vermeulen.
Meanwhile, national police commissioner George Fivaz at a press conference held in Pretoria on Friday said Mostert is no longer a suspect in the St Elmo’s blast on November 28, or the Blah Bar bomb blast on November 6.
Veary said, however, he had been told by informers that the suspect, Deon Mostert, 26, was being protected by Knipe and Barkhuizen, both of whom have denied any criminal involvement.
Mostert was arrested in Beaufort West on Wednesday in the company of two policemen.
According to Veary’s statement, he picked up information from three “independent informers” on December 4 that Mostert had approached them to join a group involved in manufacturing pipe bombs and other explosive devices and placing them at “tourist-related targets” in Cape Town. It is alleged that Mostert was used by the murder and robbery unit of the police to “set up” Pagad members by providing them with explosives.
Veary says Mostert’s handlers showed him time-dated photographs of both the Blah Bar and St. Elmo’ taken before and after the blasts. The photos confirm Mostert’s involvement.
According to Veary he made inquiries about Mostert to Director Attie Trollip, Knipe and Senior Superintendent Kerrie Heyliger, all of whom were keen to get hold of Mostert though they considered him a “bullshitter”.
Mostert and his wife Martina appeared briefly in the Wynberg Magistrate’s court on Friday on a range of theft charges. The case was remanded to December 17, when a bail application will be heard. Both were remanded, apparently for their own safety and also to allow for further investigation.