Madlanga Commission acknowledges Witness D’s bravery after murder suspect arrested
Witness D, Marius van der Merwe, was murdered in December roughly three weeks after testifying at the Madlanga Commission.
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into police corruption has praised the arrest of a suspect linked to the murder of the man known as Witness D.
Marius van der Merwe was gunned down in his driveway in December, with police confirming an arrest was made this weekend.
The suspect is due in the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
‘Ensure justice for the families’
Van der Merwe appeared before the commission under the name Witness D on 14 November and was murdered on 5 December.
The commission welcomed the arrest and praise Van der Merwe for his role in aidng the commission’s objectives.
“His bravery helped to uncover allegations of serious wrongdoing in the City of Ekurhuleni and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department,”
“The commission urges the relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure justice for the families of all those affected by people who are attempting to resist accountability for their alleged acts of criminality,” said commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels.
Alleged shooter arrested
Police confirmed on Sunday that the suspect arrested is believed to the Van der Merwe’s shooter.
A warrant of arrest was issued earlier in the week and executed on Saturday.
“The vehicle believed to have been used on the day Witness D was murdered has been seized,” police stated.
Van der Merwe became a target soon after his Madlanga Commission testimony, telling The Citizen before his death that two men attempted to run him off the road before exchanging fire with his assailants.
A first responder to Van der Merwe’s murder scene and a person close of the victim said that they could not believe what had happened.
“He was all about justice. Marius was passionate about cleaning up corruption and seeking out justice for everyone, no matter what. He was a hero in our community.”
*Additional reporting by Hein Kaiser
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