COURT CLAIMS | 

Man facing extradition for gun murder of two Dublin men fears he will be ‘executed’ in Ireland

Neville van der Westhuizen (41) made the claim in a South African court yesterday,

Today at 08:19

A South African man charged with the gun murder of two Dublin men has claimed he fears he will be killed if he is extradited to Ireland.

Neville van der Westhuizen (41) made the claims as he appeared at an extradition hearing in South Africa on Thursday.

Van der Westhuizen is accused of the murder of Dubliners Eoin O’Connor (32) and Anthony Keegan (33) whose bodies were found in Co Meath May 26, 2014.

The remains of the two men were found wrapped in plastic sheeting and buried in a shallow grave on Inchicup Island, Lough Sheelin, Co Meath weeks after they were reported missing.

Both victims are believed to have been shot dead.

The pair were not regarded as serious criminals by gardai.

In November, Interpol working with local police tracked Van der Westhuizen to a prison where he was serving three of a 15-year-sentence for a separate murder.

Yesterday, Van der Westhuizen’s lawyer, Ntando Cele, told Durban Regional Court he should not be extradited to stand trial in Ireland because of alleged threats to his life.

“My client is already serving a sentence in this country. It won’t make any sense for him to be taken to another country to stand trial while he is still in our prison system,” he said.

“Secondly, my client has received death threats. He has been told that he would be executed as soon as he lands on Irish grounds.

“Those who have made threats against him say they have connections in the Irish prison system.”

However, the magistrate dismissed both reasons given by Cele to oppose the extradition request.

He said South Africa’s legal system made room for convicts to be extradited to other countries to stand trial and that the threats against Van der Westhuizen were vague.

Van der Westhuizen had been living in Ireland for two years before the murders but subsequently left the country

Since then, he has spent time in the UK and Nigeria before returning to South Africa.

In court yesterday, his lawyer alleged that the State deliberately delayed handing over the documents to the defence.

He also said he had not had time to consult with his client.

However, the magistrate, noting the numerous delays in the matter, ruled against the postponement and ordered the State to start the case.

The matter was rolled over to Friday for Cele to consult with Van der Westhuizen.

Eoin O’Connor and Anthony Keegan went missing after Eoin borrowed his mother’s car to travel to Ballyjamesduff in Co Cavan.

Before leaving Dublin, he is believed to have told a relative of his concerns over the visit.

When he failed to return home from the trip, his ­family raised the alarm.

The bodies were later found after a fisherman on the lake identified a smell coming from the tiny island.