Accused funeral scammer 'may evade justice due to investigation delays'

The funeral undertaker accused of producing fake cremation certificates and burying the dead as paupers instead of cremating them may walk free if the State is unable to complete its investigation soon.

Petrus Booysen, who is believed to have scammed hundreds of families, made an appearance in the Kuils River Magistrate’s Court yesterday, where family members of the deceased were left reeling in shock and disbelief when they heard that his bail had been changed to a warning and his bail money paid back to him.

The State informed the court that the investigation was incomplete and requested a postponement.

Booysen’s legal team said their client was prejudiced with a lengthy process that started on January 24, while the High Court application approval for exhumation of the bodies was in fact the delay.

He called for the matter to be withdrawn if the investigation was not completed soon.

“The case has been on the roll since January 24 and we understand there is a delay,” said the defence counsel.

“This is an oversight.

“That High Court application for the exhumation should have been done

“That is what caused the delay. There is no clear indication how long this will proceed.

“Is there an opposition to this application?”

The matter was postponed to June 11 for further investigation.

The families have since sought legal advice on the decision of the State and City, over whether the financial responsibility of DNA and exhumation would fall on them or the State.

Anita Momberg, who spoke on behalf of all the victims' families, said they were shocked by the lack of communication by the State and the police and were horrified that Booysen could walk free.

Momberg was one of the first family members to come forward.

Her mother, Tersia Murray, was buried a pauper instead of being cremated in August last year.

“The families are deeply distraught, in the investigation process, the ashes were confiscated and never returned, we are still waiting feedback whether any testing has been done, so in the absence of having any ashes and not knowing who was buried where, families cannot have closure on giving their loved ones the dignified burial that they deserve,” she said.

“On top of that, the insult of how the process for justice is affecting the families because there is a possibility of this being scrapped off the roll because we as the witnesses are not being included in any of the process, if we do not communicate with the investigating officer, we would not have any insight."

Booysen is facing ten charges of fraud relating to the burial of victims.

The State is set to prove that he allegedly buried people as paupers instead of cremating them and that he also provided fake or fraudulent cremation certificates.

It is further believed that he scammed an additional 11 more families and is yet to face charges relating to it while investigations continue.

The State was also awaiting a Section 205 application, which allows access to bank records, that will form part of the bundle of evidence to prove alleged fraudulent transactions of his funeral business.

Booysen was arrested in January after five families came forward alleging that their loved ones were buried as paupers at Welmoed Cemetery, Kuils River, and that they received “fake” ashes which they believed could be non-human, and no cremation certificates.

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