One of SA’s most notorious serial killers and cannibal, Stewart “Boetie Boer” Wilken, wants out of jail after 25 years.
Though the Gqeberha man has applied for parole, experts have warned that to release a serial killer into a world he does not know could be extremely dangerous.
At the time of Wilken’s sentencing, a renowned criminal profiler testified that should he ever be released, there was no doubt in her mind he would kill again.
Young boys and prostitutes were his victims of choice, but Wilken also murdered his daughter and slept next to her rotting corpse.
For his crimes he was handed seven life terms in prison.
Now, having served almost 25 years in a maximum security facility, Wilken, who has been described as one of the most vile criminals in SA history, has applied for parole.
Though correctional services confirmed his application, those who had first-hand experience of the man expressed horror at the thought of him ever being released.
Renowned serial killer profiler and forensic psychologist Dr Gerard Labuschagne said it would be “irresponsible” for authorities to even entertain the idea of releasing Wilken back into society.
“There is always great concern whenever a serial killer is considered for release as we don’t know what their triggers are,” he said.
With decades of experience in the field, Labuschagne said it would be virtually impossible to judge Wilken’s suitability for parole based solely on his behaviour in prison.
Labuschagne has worked extensively with famed serial killer profiler Dr Micki Pistorius, who gave damning evidence during Wilken’s trial in the Gqeberha high court during the late 1990s.
“Judging prison behaviour cannot be accurate,” he said.
Pistorius had told the court that it was her strong opinion Wilken should never be released from prison because he would undoubtedly continue killing.
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In her book Catch Me a Killer, Serial Murders: a Profiler’s True Story, Pistorius described Wilken as one of the most notorious SA serial killers.
In the chapter dedicated to Wilken, Pistorius said former Bay top cop Derick Nosworthy had been integral in getting the killer to confess.
Contacted this week, Nosworthy declined to comment.
On January 31 1997, Nosworthy, attached to the then-murder and robbery unit, arrested the 31-year-old Wilken.
His final victim was a 12-year-old boy, killed nine days earlier.
Wilken had sex with the corpse the morning before his arrest.
By then it was suspected Wilken had murdered at least 10 people, including his nine-year-old daughter, whose decomposing body he would sleep next to in bushes at Happy Valley.
Wilken was represented by well-known attorney Alwyn Griebenow, and the late advocate Terry Price.
Griebenow had spent countless hours with Wilken and was surprised to hear he had applied for parole.
“The [retired judge Chris Jansen] indicated that he wanted to endorse a warrant of detention for [Wilken] never to qualify for parole,” Griebenow said.
He described Wilken as a typical chokka fisherman, “cool, calm and collected”, and who barely showed emotion.
“[Wilken] enjoyed the media attention. He came across as highly intelligent.
“He gave graphic details of [the murders]. He had a sick mind and needed help,” Griebenow said.
Griebenow spent many weekends locked in a cell with Wilken at Mount Road police station in preparation for his trial.
“I didn’t fit the profile of his victims so I wasn’t scared of him,” Griebenow said when asked if he ever felt his life was in danger.
He said it would be a travesty of justice to allow Wilken back into society, not only because of what he had done, but because there was no certainty of how he would react outside prison walls.
“I don’t know what happened to him in prison but I doubt it has changed him much,” he said.
Former state advocate Leon Knoetse, who successfully prosecuted Wilken along with a then-junior prosecutor, Marius Stander, said it was a time of his life he would rather forget.
“It’s quite surprising considering [Jansen] specifically said [Wilken] should not be allowed out on parole,” he said.
Knoetse, who has since left the National Prosecuting Authority, said evidence by Pistorius indicated that Wilken could never be rehabilitated.
“We suspected there were more murders [so] it would be very irresponsible to allow him out now.
“I hope authorities note what [Jansen] said in his judgment.”
Knoetse said he had since tried to “block out” that part of his life.
Wilken was ultimately convicted on seven counts of murder and two of sodomy.
On February 28 1998 he was sentenced to seven life terms.
On his daughter’s murder, Wilken had claimed he wanted to save Wuane, born from his first marriage, from a life similar to his after he suspected she had been molested by her stepfather.
He admitted to taking Wuane to Happy Valley after she allegedly told him she wanted to run away with him.
He had inspected the young girl’s private parts and according to him, noticed that she had been violated.
He then strangled her “to protect her from further harm”.
After his first marriage ended, he remarried in 1990 and Wilken’s murderous rampage began.
On October 2 1990, Wilken killed a 25-year-old prostitute by strangling her after she complained of pain during intercourse.
Three months later, Wilken killed his second victim, also a prostitute, by strangling her after she told him he had to pay for sex.
He later admitted to returning to where he left the body and committing necrophilia.
Nine months later, Wilken deviated from his preferred victims and killed a young boy who had allegedly prostituted himself.
Wilken strangled him while sodomising him.
Between June 1993 and January 1997, Wilken killed at least seven people, including Wuane.
In one instance, he killed a 42-year-old woman, who he sodomised, strangled with her own clothing, and stuck a knife in her vagina. He also sliced off her nipples and ate them.
Pistorius noted in her book that while she was testifying, Wilken had requested a short adjournment to go to the toilet to masturbate.
In his judgment, Jansen said if the death penalty had still been an option, he would have sentenced Wilken to death.
The judge further ordered that the evidence of Pistorius and forensic psychiatrist Dr Toviah Zabow, as well as his full judgment, be attached to Wilken’s prison file.
Jansen said from abroad this week that the matter was now in the hands of the parole board.
Wilken’s second wife, Veronica, with whom he had two daughters, had supported her husband throughout his trial.
It was after her parents accused Wilken of sodomising her two sons from a previous relationship that Wilken went to live in the bushes at Happy Valley, where he later pointed out Wuane’s remains to the police.
Correctional services regional spokesperson Nobuntu Gantana said though Wilken was not due for parole, he had applied for his release from custody.
“[Wilken] has applied for parole and his profile has been submitted to the minister of justice and correctional services for recommendations in terms of the Correctional Services Act.
“A decision in this regard has not yet been made,” Gantana said.
National correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said: “[Wilken’s] profile is being considered as it will be processed by various structures looking after lifers.”
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