Africa-Press – Namibia. Zorena Jantze HARVEY Boulter, the British tycoon who is currently awaiting his trial outcome in a murder case is claiming that the widow of the man he fatally shot is trying to extort money from him after she requested a payment of N$55 million for damages.
The 51-year-old Boulter was charged with murder after a shooting incident in which the manager of his Outjo game farm, the 54-year-old Gerhard van Wyk, was fatally injured on 27 February this year.
The shooting incident happened at Farm Kaross on a Saturday afternoon during a spit braai attended by Boulter, his friend Adam, the late Gerhard, his son Gerhard Jnr van Wyk, his wife Alta van Wyk, and Gerhard Jnr’s wife, Claudia van Wyk. All the van Wyks were residing on Boulter’s farm at the time of the shooting.
“To the best of my recollection, at approximately 19:30 there was an unexpected and unforeseen altercation involving Gerhard Jnr and myself. During the altercation, Gerhard Snr joined in the squabble and attacking me. This astonished me as I had no idea, nor could I comprehend what had triggered this,” Boulter said.
He added that sometime during the incident, he took out his pistol with his right hand and placed it flat against his chest while covering the front part of the barrel with his left hand as a warning to father and son.
Boulter added that the late Gerhard Snr was eventually shot when during a scuffle for the gun, the trigger went off, piercing through Boulter’s left hand that was covering a portion of the barrel and striking Gerhard in the stomach.
Despite Boulter’s version of events correlating with the injuries he sustained on his hand, his story was contested by the widowed Alta, who told police officers at Outjo that the Brit had pointed the gun at her late husbands’ forehead.
Although never setting a foot in prison as he was immediately transferred to a Windhoek private hospital for his hand injuries, Boulter has since the fatal shooting spent a total of 141 days under police custody until he was granted bail in July 2021.
Boulter believes his wrongful arrest was a result of an incorrect statement tendered by Alta. In her initial police statement, Alta insisted that Boulter had pointed a gun at her late husband’s head, however, after attending a court hearing, the widow told family and friends that this was a false representation of events.
When approached for comment, Alta said that she does not want to speak to the press. In a letter seen by Informanté, dated 12 July 2021, Alta sought legal council through Denton’s, a multi-national law firm based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Her lawyer, Vannessa Jacklin-Levin, wrote, “The terms of this letter are provided to you and your client without prejudice basis and it is intended to reach settlement between our clients on an amicable basis.” The letter further reads that Alta is willing to accept payment of N$55 million from Boulter, which is a capital lump sum for her loss.
Some of the losses cited include loss of income (past and future), emotional pain, shock and suffering, loss of earnings and earning potential, loss of amenities, and loss of past and future medical expenses such as, but not limited to psychiatric treatment and psychotropic medication.
Alta’s lawyer went on to state that the money should be paid within 30 days from the date of signature, and that Alta and her family will vacate Boulter’s premises within 90 days the date of signature.
Boulter has, however, refused to pay the settlement funds, citing that this amounts to paying off a state witness. “She is trying to extort from me N$55 million. Her lawyers said that she would tell the truth if I paid this amount,” Boulter said. The case is currently with the Prosecutor General to determined whether or not Boulter will be prosecuted, and if so, which charges he will face.
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