SA man faces delay in Cambodia proceedings

October 23 2009

By Bronwynne Jooste

Staff Reporter

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

The South African man who was arrested after the death of his best friend in Cambodia, may have to wait up to six months to learn his fate.

Andre Bester was arrested after his friend, Paul Hutchins from Cape Town, died in a jetski accident last month.

Bester's father, Jan, told the Cape Argus that they could not speak to the media at this stage. But, on the wall of a Facebook page created after his arrest, Bester wrote that his legal troubles seemed to be far from over.

Bester, 27, left his last message on the wall of the Help Fight for Andre Bester page on October 8.

"My problems have only started now. I have a lot of issues to resolve this side. My court case can take anything up to six months. In the meantime I am looking at different options to keep myself busy."

More than 1 000 people have joined the group, sending messages of support to Bester.

Hutchins was celebrating his 46th birthday a few hours away from the town where they both lived when the accident occurred.

It is alleged the pair were riding jetskis when Hutchins turned in front of Bester, and his jetski hit Hutchins on the head.

Bester was arrested a day after the tragedy and spent more than three weeks in an overcrowded prison cell in the Sihanoukville prison in Cambodia.

On the same page, Jan Bester wrote that his son was looking into the woodwork industry and had managed to build up contacts in the Asian country.

Meanwhile, Hutchins's mother Marion, and his sisters Judy Saggers and Beverly Tronk, visited Cambodia to collect his body.

Tronk said the funeral was held last week in Fish Hoek. She said the four-day trip had helped bring some closure.

"It did us the world of good. We met people who knew him and saw where he lived. We knew he was very happy there. It was great for us to see that. The company he worked with was also very helpful."

Hutchins had started working on a contract at a forestry company in Cambodia about nine months ago. He had last seen his family in April.

"We feel that everything is finished now," said Tronk.

She added that they had met Bester during their visit and had maintained contact with him since then. The family has expressed their sadness over Bester's arrest.

Bester, on the social networking site, in turn said he regretted the incident and thanked the Hutchins family for their support.

"Thank you for everything the Hutchins family has done for me in Cambodia. My thoughts are with you. Sadly, I can't make the funeral. The court still has my passport."