Oosthuizen pleads guilty to murder of elderly Lowveld resident Hetta Potgieter
Oosthuizen will appear in the Mpumalanga High Court tomorrow for sentencing
Shaun Oosthuizen (41) pleaded guilty to the 2018 murder of elderly Mbombela resident, Hetta Potgieter, at the Mpumalanga High Court this afternoon.
Oosthuizen was among three accused in the case, however, charges against his two co-accused, John du Plooy (28) and Maryna Lin Mam (51), whose surname was Vorster at the time of her arrest, were withdrawn today due to insufficient evidence.
Oosthuizen will appear again in the Mpumalanga High Court tomorrow for sentencing.
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Mpumalanga NPA spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, said the High Court convicted Oosthuizen today after he pleaded guilty to the murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances of Henrietta Catharina Potgieter (85).
“On July 8, 2018, Oosthuizen travelled from Gauteng to Mbombela’s Macademia Old Aged Home driving an Opel Astra motor vehicle with a GP registration number,” said Nyuswa.
“He entered the building and then exited. He later came back driving the same vehicle with the registration number removed at the back.
“He entered the old age home and proceeded to the room in which Potgieter lived. He found the door opened and Potgieter was watching television.”
She said Oosthuizen then assaulted her, tied her up and strangled her, killing the elderly woman.
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“He further robbed Potgieter of an amount of R10 000 and fled the scene. He was traced and arrested five days after the offences were committed.”
Nyuswa said that Advocate Vuyo Mkhulisi told the court Oosthuizen pleaded guilty because of the overwhelming evidence the state had against him. He was seen on CCTV footage exiting the old age home with the vehicle, returning and then driving off again.
Mkhulisi also told the court that Oosthuizen has a list of previous offences in which he targeted elderly and fragile victims and urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentences. Acting Judge Johanna Mthimunye postponed the matter to tomorrow for sentencing.
