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Murder suspect who fled to Brazil successfully extradited

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SA Man who fled to Brazil to avoid standing for trial after the murder of his ex-girlfriend has been successfully extradited to the country.

Gerard Jansen Van Vuuren arrived at the OR Tambo International Airport on Friday afternoon.


The 39-year-old man was arrested in Brazil about four months ago and kept in custody at a Rio de Janeiro prison.

Vuuren was expected to face trial in 2013 in Johannesburg after he allegedly stabbed his ex-girlfriend, Andrea Venter, to death in late 2011.

He tried committing suicide at the crime scene but was arrested and charged with the murder of his ex-girlfriend.

He was later granted bail in the Johannesburg High Court but he absconded the country four days before the start of his trial in May 2013.

He travelled to Brazil using false travel documents.

Interpol issued a warrant of arrest and he was tracked down and arrested by Brazilian authorities in August 2013 on a charge of false documentation.

He was released in 2015 after serving a sentence for this crime.

However, the South African Police Service disclosed that Interpol have been working with Brazilian officials for several years to find Jansen Van Vuuren.

He was rearrested in June this year.

He is now back in SA after about a decade.

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