Cape Town - Hope is fast fading that missing German tourist Nick Frischke, 22, will be found alive after three of the five men arrested for being in possession of items belonging to him confessed to robbing and stabbing him.
However, Frischke’s family remain hopeful of his safe return.
Three of the suspects appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday where their case was rolled over to yesterday following their arrest over the weekend.
The trio allegedly admitted to robbing Frischke, with the Hout Bay Community Police Forum (CPF) reporting that Frischke’s backpack and cellphone were recovered, as well as a kitchen knife.
Two other suspects joined the trio and briefly appeared on Tuesday before Magistrate Goolam Bowa where the case was postponed to Monday for further investigation.
The five are charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances and were found in possession of items belonging to Frischke.
When the Cape Argus called the investigating officer, Detective Daluxolo Mhlauli, he said he was no longer on the case.
However, according to a report by a German broadcaster, RTL News, one of the three accused on Monday confessed to being involved in an attack on Frischke in Karbonkelberg which is a small peak forming part of the Table Mountain National Park. They claimed that one of their accomplices stabbed him.
The alleged weapon, a kitchen knife, is being examined for DNA evidence, the broadcaster reported.
After the Hout Bay CPF’s update on the suspect’s court appearance, Frischke’s father Andre Hallwas took to social media expressing frustrations over the lack of communication from the local authorities, adding that “communication has gotten worse these past few days”.
“I think it’s terrible that you get important messages from the newspaper or here on Facebook. It would certainly be helpful for us parents, to talk to us beforehand,” he said.
Thirteen days after his son’s disappearance, Hallwas remains hopeful.
“We still hope that it will end well,” he said.
Hallwas also confirmed that currently there were no plans as yet for the family to come to Cape Town.
CPF chairperson Anthony Chemaly said a search was planned for today. Residents had also planned a candlelight vigil, expected to be held for Frischke later today at Hout Bay Beach.
In an attempt to express their sympathy to the family, the local community on Monday staged a peace walk throughout the Hangberg area, while also encouraging the community to speak up.
Hangberg Dreams founder Zulfa October said since the news of Frischke’s disappearance, numerous searches were conducted to no avail.
The NSRI, a Western Cape Government Health EMS rescue squad drone team, an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) rescue squad trail search and rescue team, a Police K9 search and rescue team, WSAR (Wilderness Search and Rescue) members and WSAR K9 search and rescue also conducted searches in the Hout Bay area.
October said in the past they used to walk freely at night but with the rise in crime the area was now dangerous. However, October said this was the first incident to have occurred in Karbonkelberg and that the community remained shocked.
“We will walk where he has walked, as we have been searching and because there are a lot of places to look at, we still have hope that he will be found. He was alone on the hiking trail and had no tour guide. However, that didn’t give them the right to do what they did to him,” she said.
October said the arrested suspects were known in the community and that the community believed they must point out where Frischke was.