Cape Town - Nine years after a stand-off between police and resident Michael Volkwyn, who made headlines for shooting an arrow at former cricket sensation Herchelle Gibbs’s mother’s vehicle, the inquest will finally be held at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court to determine whether he killed himself or if police pulled the trigger.
This week, police confirmed that witnesses were expected to testify and give evidence into the formal inquest of Volkwyn, 61, who died on May 2015 inside his Hazendal home where a police constable was also wounded.
Volkwyn’s siblings fought for nearly a decade for the truth, claiming their brother had not committed suicide and that police had shot him.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi confirmed the inquest was on the court roll for later this year.
“The matter is currently remanded to be on the court roll in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on August 1 and 2, 2024.”
This week, Volkwyn’s brother Roy Volkwyn said the family believed there was a cover-up by authorities as the police had killed their brother.
“Ipid (Independent Police Investigative Directorate) was part of the cover-up,” he said.
“It was ordered from high up. Ipid was specifically ordered to exclude corruption from their mandate for that investigation. Hence Ipid ignored video evidence (from CCTV cameras) proving that SAPS officers had lied in their submissions to Ipid.”
Volkwyn’s death and his standoff with police made headlines and was a media frenzy on the day of the 12-hour stand-off with Volkwyn, who had been described as a recluse by his neighbours.
A constable was shot in the face, while Volkwyn fenced-off his home to police after teams together with the SPCA were called to the residence to confiscate his dogs following a complaint by a resident who was attacked.
Volkwyn refused to leave his premises despite calls from his family and a negotiator. His home, which had the signage: “Just guns” at his gate, became the centre of a police operation.
Police said at the time they had to use a stun grenade to ward off his dogs, claiming the animals had attacked them and this was when the officer was shot in the face.
Police said when they entered the house, two shots had been fired and that Volkwyn had turned the gun on himself.
Volkwyn, who was an engineer, had allegedly threatened Herschelle Gibbs’s mother with a crossbow in 2000 while they were neighbours.
The arrow had pierced Barbara Gibbs’s car and also missed two armed response officers who were parked outside her home.
According to his family’s blogs, in a bid to tell his untold stories, he also previously faced seven counts relating to manufacturing of unlicensed weapons and being in possession of such weapons, dating back to 2008 and was later acquitted in 2010
Roy said the family had waited too long for an inquest. “An inquest should normally be held within six months after an unnatural death. If I remember correctly, an SAPS detective told me the very longest is two years.”
The family had also appointed an independent forensic expert a year after Volkwyn’s death to investigate the incident.
Volkwyn’s sister, Barbara Volkwyn said she believe witnesses were not told to be in court and that her brother had been murdered by police.
Ipid spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said the inquest was not completed at this stage following recommendation by the family for it to be taken further.
“This matter was investigated by police and Ipid conducted preliminary investigation in 2015. Ipid reviewed this same case on numerous occasions in the past years, upon concerns raised by the family, whereafter a docket was referred to the NPA.
“The NPA referred the docket to the Inquest Court at Wynberg Magistrate’s Court. The inquest is therefore not yet finalised and further queries on the inquest may be referred to the NPA.”