Johannesburg - The father of former murder accused Fred van der Vyver, is being sued by his son's former lawyer for millions of rands in outstanding legal fees, Beeld reported on Saturday.
Advocate Dup de Bruyn SC lodged a R4.3-million claim in the Eastern Cape High Court last year December.
In August 2011, the Cape Town High Court ruled in favour of Van der Vyver who sued the minister for R46-million in damages after he was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, Inge Lotz, in 2005.
Lotz's body was found on a bench in the lounge of her Stellenbosch apartment in March 2005. She had serious head injuries, inflicted with a blunt object, and stab wounds to her chest.
Van der Vyver was arrested for the murder three months later, and released on R10 000 bail.
Numerous requests from Van der Vyver's defence team for the prosecution to be abandoned were rejected.
Van der Vyver was found not guilty by Judge Deon van Zyl and two assessors after a trial that lasted nine months.
De Bruyn represented Van der Vyver in the criminal and civil case, Beeld reported.
In his claim De Bruyn reportedly said he had entered into a verbal agreement with Van der Vyver's father in September 2005.
One of the points agreed upon was that De Bruyn would lead Van der Vyver's defence team.
De Bruyn had worked on Van der Vyver's case “full time” from July 2006 to November 2007.
In January 2008 De Bruyn and Van der Vyver's father again had a verbal agreement that the total amount for legal fees was R2 668 867,81. With interest, the total was R3 042 509,30, according to the newspaper.
Van der Vyver's father told De Bruyn the only remaining assets he had was the family farm and a stake in a tomato farm.
In court papers De Bruyn alleged that he did not want the family to lose their farm so he agreed to postpone the payment.
Van der Vyver reportedly paid De Bruyn R900 000 last year but the outstanding amount was still R373,641.49. - Sapa