The Benoni Magistrate’s Court recently sentenced Jack Coetzer (35) of Crystal Park to life imprisonment for fatally shooting a Lesotho national who failed to take off his balaclava when Coetzer instructed him to do so.

According to police investigations, Coetzer broke a precast wall separating his and his neighbours’ plots in December 2020.

SAPS Ekurhuleni district communications officer Captain Neldah Sekgobela explains that after Coetzer broke the wall, he entered the property, demanding identity documents and passports from residents of the plot, who were working at the time.

“The men gave him their identity documents and after inspecting the documents he threw them on the ground. When a Lesotho national who was guarding the property arrived, Coetzer demanded at gunpoint that he remove his balaclava.”

Sekgobela says the man refused and Coetzer fired shots at him. The man died on the scene.

Investigations further revealed Coetzer tampered with the scene by placing a knife in the waistband of the deceased’s trousers to claim self-defence.

Following a thorough investigation by Detective Sergeant Amukelani Mukhari of Crystal Park SAPS, the court found Coetzer guilty of murder.