Man sought in slain tourist case

By Matt Ramsden

EAST LONDON -- Detectives seeking the killer of a German backpacker on Eastern Beach last month yesterday released an artist's impression of a man they wish to question.

The investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Nico Nepgen, said a caller to Fleet Street police station claimed to have seen the man with slain tourist Almute Scriba in the Fleet Kwik-Spar on the afternoon of April 29.

He is described as being aged about 35, approximately 1,74 metres tall and slender. He had short dark-brown hair and was well tanned.

Nepgen said the man was wearing blue jeans, pointed cowboy-like boots and a light-brown fishing jacket with several pockets.

He said police were keen to speak to him as soon as possible.

Scriba's badly decomposed body was found in bush on top of a giant sand dune on May 7 by a passer-by. She had been strangled.

She was only supposed to be in East London for three hours while she waited for a connecting bus to Queenstown.

Nepgen said police had all but ruled out a link between a British backpacker, a "Mr Claasen", and the death of Scriba.

A reward of R20 000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of her killer.

Anyone with information should contact Nepgen on 0828041661 or Captain Lee-Ann Beard on 0834580235.