Dead man in river linked to drug dealers
THE MAN, whose body was discovered at Barkly West last week, as well as his missing 72-year-old father-in-law, have been linked to Nigerian drug dealers.
It is also believed that 47-year-old Douglas Simpson, who apparently committed suicide and whose body was fished out of the Vaal River, fled to the Northern Cape because he has family links to Lime Acres.
This information came to light when the DFA interviewed Simpson’s wife Debbie this weekend. The two were involved in divorce proceedings.
It is suspected that Simpson could have killed his father-in-law, Peet Theron, who disappeared from Witbank just before Christmas, after he was invited by Simson for a cup of coffee at one of the town’s restaurants.
Simpson allegedly also broke into Theron’s house on the day Theron disappeared and stole a safe and a firearm. Simpson then disappeared a few days later.
However, Debbie told the DFA that she was told that her father (Theron) was in the hands of Nigerian drug dealers. “Douglas has been a drug addict for most of his life. Before his apparent suicide last week, he told me that my father was kidnapped by the Nigerians who sold Douglas the drugs.
“I never really understood what Douglas meant by that. I mean my father does not have a cent in his bank account, so what would the Nigerians do with him . . . this is all so confusing,” she said.
Debbie stated that she and Douglas had serious marital problems which were fuelled by her hus- band’s abuse of drugs.
“I told him that I was getting a divorce and on December 15 I moved out of the house. I think he could not take this and he decided to break into my father’s house and stole whatever he could and fled.
“But I was not surprised to hear that he might have committed suicide because he has always made it clear that if I left him he would kill himself,” she said.
According to Debbie, Simpson’s father apparently used to work in Lime Acres, which could explain why he fled to the Northern Cape.
Debbie also stated that Simpson’s family members were unhappy because she was talking to the media about her husband’s suicide and drug addiction.
“His brother and sister are unhappy about me talking about all the things he did in the 17 years we were married. At this point I feel that I have no tears left for him . . . I have cried over Douglas for the past 17 years,” she said.
The last time Debbie saw her father was on the CCTV footage which showed him entering and leaving the restaurant where he ap- parently met Douglas. “The footage shows him walking out, but we do not know what happened to him after that,” she said.
The police in Kimberley said they are waiting for Simpson’s family members to arrive today to identify the body and the vehicle that he left at a resort in Barkly West.
Police in Mpumalanga said investigations are continuing. “We are still looking for Theron and we urge anyone who may have information on this case to contact the police,” Lieutenant Colonel Leonard Hlathi said.