VANDERBIJLPARK – A cold-blooded killer who turned a night at Big Time Tavern into horror was slapped with 15 years imprisonment for brutally hacking a man to death.

The streets of CE 7 near Miami Sands, around the popular Orange Shop, are now a little safer thanks to a dedicated Vanderbijlpark Detective, Sergeant Kgotso Maloma.

This comes after Maloma’s relentless efforts to bring justice to the deceased’s family, who saw the longest-standing back-and-forth murder case finally come to an end.

In 2021, dozens of patrons at the well-known hangout were left shaken when a regular patron was viciously stabbed while relaxing with a friend over cold adult beverages.

On the fateful day, the attacker vanished into thin air following his heinous crime, sparking a manhunt and outrage.

What the killer didn’t know was that the decorated detective from the Serious and Violent Crimes Unit assigned to his case, wasn’t about to let him walk free.

A day after the incident, Maloma followed a lead that led to the arrest of the suspect when he was seen chilling at a local car wash.

What transpired after is a story only to be told by Maloma, a man now dubbed ‘Crime Buster.’

According to Maloma, the long and agonising trial was riddled with delays, but his tight investigation and bulletproof evidence sealed the killer’s fate.

Speaking to Ster South, Maloma explained that what kept his faith burning and his confidence intact was the hope that the case would end positively.

“The case dragged on for a long time due to postponements, and the trial also took a while, but hope remained. I was confident that I balanced my investigation sufficiently and that the family was going to receive justice,” he said.

“I did my level best to make sure that I covered all the loopholes, and thank the Almighty for providing me with the wisdom to work diligently and make sure that justice is served at all times,” he added.

Having spent 16 years in the SAPS, with eight years dedicated to serious crimes, Maloma told the paper why he became a policeman from day one.

“Since primary school, I always knew I wanted to be a crime buster, because I hate crime. Serving my community for all these years and delivering convictions as results makes me sleep at night,” he said.

Having multiple life sentences under his belt, the decorated officer said he will continue to serve with pride and bring thieves to book.