Accused in murders of elderly women appear in court
Two in the accused of Hetta Potgieter’s (85) murder, who were supposed to appear in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court today, already appeared on Friday.
MBOMBELA – Shaun Oosthuizen (38) and John du Plooy (26) were rearrested last week for two new murders of elderly women in Alberton and Roodepoort.
They had been free since they were granted bail of R2 000 each in the Nelspruit District Court.
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On Wednesday local police investigating officer, Lt Col Erhard Stroh and Sgt Fred Meyer arrested them in Munsieville, a squatter camp near Krugersdorp.
It was the second time Stroh had tracked the suspects down. After Potgieter’s murder on
July 1, they tracked down Oosthuizen, Du Plooy and a third accused, Marynna Mandy Vorster (48) to Lover’s Rock near Magaliesburg.
Vorster was initially also arrested for the most recent murders, but was released by police the same day as they could not link her to the scenes.
The body of 74-year-old Barbara Esme Fanton was discovered on Sunday morning in Alberton Village on Trelawney Street.
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The two suspects entered the premises on the pretence that they were looking for someone. They allegedly asked Fanton for a glass of water and gained entry to her home. She was taken to the bedroom, her legs and hands were tied with cellphone charger cables. A cloth was stuffed down her throat and she was robbed of her cellphone and jewellery.
In the other murder, which took place in Roodepoort on August 20, 77-year-old Lillas Jane Merry’s body was discovered in the corridor of her flat. Her hands and feet were tied up and a cloth was stuffed down her throat. They robbed her of her jewellery.
Potgieter was killed on July 1 in her flat at Macadamia Care Centre. Her body was discovered the following morning on her bathroom floor. It is alleged the accused gained access to the premises by asking for a glass of water.
She was suffocated and her hands were tied behind her back with cellphone charger cables. The cause of death was determined to be suffocation.
The matter was postponed until Thursday for the accused to obtain legal representation. The two remain in custody. All three are expected back in the Nelspruit District Court on October 26.
