Silence over offer to train detectives
RETIRED SAPS Lieutenant-colonel and expert witness Dolf Lourens, who has solved a number of high-profile cases in just a few hours with the use of cellphone technology, has offered to provide training to police members.
Since approaching the SAPS provincial commissioner in May last year, to offer a two-day course to train detectives, he stated that he is still awaiting a response.
“I want to share my knowledge that I gained while working for the Hawks for 10 years along with 31 years of service in the police, to equip SAPS members with valuable skills in order to boost conviction rates.”
He indicated that he managed to trace suspects that crossed the border through cellphone evidence.
“One of my biggest cases that I investigated was the murder of DA councillor Johannes Baadjies and his business partner Jeffrey Nouse from Danielskuil. I managed to identify the main accused within five hours with the use of cellphone technology. Their killers were sentenced to life imprisonment.”
He added that he was considering offering this course to private investigators and members of the public.
“Since my retirement last year, I have assisted a number of detectives who have contacted me for advice on gathering cellphone evidence. However, I don’t think that I am willing to offer my professional services to the police anymore.”
Lourens was also involved in the investigation of a fraudulent online dating scam where a 64-year-old widow from Kimberley and a director employed at an international advisory company in Cape Town were conned out of R6.2 million.
One of the accused was arrested in Cape Town after Lourens analysed his cellphone communication.
Lourens found 11 742 activities on one of his handsets that were used to communicate with the women that he allegedly lured on the dating site.
He also found the second complainant in Cape Town who had also been scammed by the same accused by checking cellphone records.
Four cellphones, a bank deposit slip, an ID book and a Nigerian passport and a black suitcase containing R1.3 million in cash were found at the premises that was searched in Cape Town.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-colonel Sergio Kock said all applications to become a training service provider had to be directed to the divisional commissioner for human resource development, for approval.
“To become a service provider in terms of training in the SAPS you have to be an accredited service provider,” said Kock.