Wonderboompoort police have been lauded for its work that led to the murder conviction of a Moot resident.
Stephanus (Stefan) Visser was jailed for 25 years by the Pretoria High Court last month for killing his mother-in-law, pastor Elizabeth (Elsabe) Van Niekerk during a vicious knife attack in April last year.
“I commend the commitment shown by the Wonderboom community in ensuring their neighbourhood is crime free,” said police spokesperson Constable Mandlakayise Zwane.
“On 11 April 2016 the police were called out to attend to a gruesome scene in 8th Avenue in Gezina where the body of Van Niekerk was found in a pool of blood.”
Zwane said by the time the police arrived, the assailant had already fled the scene.
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“The police had to act swiftly and quickly to establish who the suspect may have been and what may have led to the heinous act.”
Detective Sergeant Johanna Putter was immediately allocated to the case as the lead investigator, with a team of other police officers.
“Through engagements with residents, a lead was established and a photo of a man wearing a hunting balaclava was presented to the police.”
It was further indicated that the man had fled the scene on a motorbike.
“After establishing the deceased’s identity, her daughter Leandri was contacted and called in for questioning,” said Zwane.
“She was shown a picture of a man wearing a hunting balaclava that had been taken by a resident at the scene.”
Leandri identified the man in the picture as her ex-husband, Stephanus.
“She could easily identify him because he was wearing the clothes and hunting balaclava that she had bought him as a gift.”
The police immediately tracked Stephanus to his girlfriend’s house in Kilnerpark.
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“Upon interrogation, he confessed to killing his mother-in-law,”said Zwane.
“He further showed the police his burned clothes, the motorbike stained with blood and a knuckle knife [buster] he had used to stab the victim.”
Earlier this year he applied for bail, which was denied.
He appeared in court again on 21 September, when the matter was again postponed pending further investigation.
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