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Rumours about Willem Kruger’s death swirl on social media
Messages allege a murder investigation is underway after Kruger went missing and was later found in the Vaal River.
Family of Willem Kruger, who went missing and was later found in the Vaal River, are holding a memorial service on 29 November 2022. Photo: Facebook
Private investigator Mike Bolhuis has made it his mission to quash rumours doing the rounds surrounding Willem Kruger’s death.
Bolhuis told Middelburg Observer that a WhatsApp message, in which his name is used, is alleging the post-mortem conducted on Kruger’s body found no water in his lungs, alluding to him having died before he and his bakkie were found submerged in the Vaal River.
Fights and murder
ALSO READ: Willem Kruger laid to rest after memorial service on farm
The message further alleges that a murder investigation is underway, with four suspects identified.
“This we have known for a while; the family wanted to keep everything quiet until the funeral was over.
“His safety belt was on and his car was in neutral, so it doesn’t look good,” the messages read.
ALSO READ: Willem Kruger’s body identified after bakkie found in Vaal River
29-year-old Kruger, the son of well-known Middelburg farmer Tian Kruger, was laid to rest on Tuesday.
He disappeared from Henbase Lodge in Mpumalanga on 13 November while at a friend’s bachelor party, and was found nine days later, Middelburg Observer reported.
Sakkie Louwrens from Bosveld Crime Investigations (Bosveld Misdaad Ondersoeke) told Netwerk24 a section of paving at the lodge that appeared stepped in, as well as tyre tracks matching the breadth of Kruger’s bakkie’s, were found near a low-lying bridge which serves as one of the accommodation facilty’s entrances.
Search efforts involved drones, boats, helicopters, checking CCTV footage, farmers combing the area, and enlisting the help of private investigator Mike Bolhuis and his team.
A reward for R200 000 was also put out for information on his whereabouts.
Another message says a fight broke out, and that the witness and her children have since been placed in witness protection.
Bolhuis sets record straight
The rumours have Bolhuis fuming. He has since launched a project to quash any false information being spread regarding Kruger’s death.
“Our specialised security services (SSS) are angry about the amount of times false information has done the rounds on social media since the death of Mr Willem Kruger.
He confirmed that no murder case had been opened, and that nothing other than an entitled death investigation was registered with Morgenzon police.
A post-mortem report has also not been released, and that no one is in witness protection.
“The SSS specialist investigator contacted various roleplayers named in the allegations on 2 December.”
Compiled, edited and translated from Afrikaans by Nica Richards.
This article first appeared on Caxton publication Middelburg Observer’s website, by Daleen Naudè. Read the original article here.
