How super-sleuth braved public pressure to win double-murder conviction – and W Cape top detective award

David van Boven and Tasliem Ambrose during sentencing at the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town on 19 July 2022. Van Boven was convicted for the murders of university student Jesse Hess (18) and her 85-year-old grandfather Chris Lategan in their Parow apartment in 2019. (Photo by Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)

By Vincent Cruywagen

17 Jan 2023

Expert sleuth Lieutenant-Colonel Adrian Pretorius cracked the double murder case of 18-year-old University of Western Cape theology student Jesse Hess and her grandfather Chris Lategan. He was named Western Cape detective of the year at the weekend.

Pretorius was honoured with the top award at the Western Cape SAPS Excellence Awards, held at Century City Conference Centre on Saturday, 14 January 2023.

His investigation led to the successful prosecution of Hess’s killer, her cousin David van Boven. Van Boven was convicted of both murders, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, sexual assault, and fraud in May 2022. He received a double life sentence in July 2022.

Van Boven was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment for murder, 40 years on two counts of robbery, eight years for sexual assault and three years for fraud. The sentences are to run concurrently.

Read more in Daily Maverick: “Two in court for murder of Jesse Hess and grandfather”

It has been reported that Van Boven, 31, is Hess’s second cousin. He spent most of Hess’s life behind bars after being convicted of raping a relative, and was released on parole in December 2018.

Jesse Hess a few months before she was murdered. (Photo: Jesse Hess)

jesse hess murder sentence David van Boven during sentencing at the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town on 19 July 2022. Van Boven was convicted for the murders of university student Jesse Hess (18) and her 85-year-old grandfather Chris Lategan in their Parow apartment in 2019. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)

No remorse

Handing down judgment, Western Cape High Court Judge Judith Cloete found Van Boven had shown no remorse, further underlying that the accused believed he was entitled to do as he pleases and to take whatever he wanted.

Pretorius told Daily Maverick: “I must dedicate this award to Jesse Hess and her grandfather. This investigation really did touch me. This investigation moved me so much that I took it upon myself to solve it.”

Following the double murder, the docket landed on Pretorius’ desk. He is the commander of a team that conducts provincial-level investigations. They only had four people on the team at the time, and cracking the case, as he explained, seemed insurmountable.

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In July 2022, the DA Shadow Police Minister Andrew Whitfield claimed that SA has 1,300 fewer detectives to investigate crime since Bheki Cele became minister.

“It took months and months of investigation. Everyone wanted results, but at the end of the day I didn’t want just results but a conviction, and that the accused would be found guilty on both counts of murder.

“Our team has a lot of success because we engage on a regular basis and have members who are willing to listen and share ideas. This is how we train the next generation of leaders,” he said.

There was pressure on the police from protesters against gender-based violence, calling for justice. Eleven were arrested among thousands who took to the streets, following the rape and murder of Uyinene Mrwetyana, the murder of Hess, and the brutalisation of countless other women across South Africa.

Requesting assistance

Despite the pressure, Pretorius maintained his composure and focus. He then requested assistance from another police station, to supplement the team looking into Hess’s murder.

“Increasing the size of the investigation team greatly aided in solving the case. Every single person played an important role. We won this award as a team because it was a collaborative effort,” he explained.

Pretorius has completed the investigation against the double murderer, but Van Boven is currently appearing in Wynberg Magistrates’ Court in a separate matter.

Pretorius and his team ensure that dangerous people are removed from society and are never allowed to harm others.

“For Jesse Hess and her grandfather Pretorius, I just want to say sorry that it took so long for SAPS to bring justice,” he said. DM

Other top achievers at the ceremony include:

Woman of the Year: Warrant Officer Wendy Lee, from a satellite station in Herold, George.

Catch of the Year: OCI Narcotics for a R583-million cocaine haul on a fishing vessel in Saldanha Bay in March 2021.

Man of the Year: Constable Kwayo Louw.

Community Police Forum of the Year: Wynberg CPF, accepted by Anzar Salie.

Also in Daily Maverick, the motivational talk to police by Gift of the Givers’ Imtiaz Sooliman. DM

Daily Maverick will publish further articles by Vincent Cruywagen on award-winning Western Cape cops this week.

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No remorse

Requesting assistance