Granny says sorry for N2 cop killing

Published Aug 3, 2015

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Cape Town - The grandmother of one of the two men arrested in connection with the stabbing of a police officer on the N2 wishes to apologise to the slain officer’s family.

On Friday, Adrian Hendricks and Xavier Ryan appeared at the Somerset West Magistrate’s Court for the murder of Warrant Officer Petrus Holz.

Holz, a member of the Hawks’ specialised crime fighting unit, was on his way to work last week Wednesday when he had to stop his car after objects that had been placed on the N2 caused his vehicle’s tyre to burst.

The 50-year-old, from Somerset West , was attacked and stabbed and left for dead on a grass verge along the busy highway.

Hendricks, 22, and Ryan, 24, have now been officially charged with murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

They both requested legal aid representation and their case was postponed to August 7.

Shortly after their hurried appearance, Hendricks stood alone in the dock on a separate case that was very similar to the circumstances that led to Holz’s murder.

State Prosecutor J Damon told the court the accused was being charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances.

The case was in reference to an incident in July 17, 2012, that occurred near the spot where Holz was murdered.

According to Hendricks’ charge sheet, a motorist by the name of Jaques Loots stopped his car on the N2 to fix a burst tyre when he was attacked.

Loots was stabbed and robbed of a cellphone worth R8 000.

Hendricks’ second case was also postponed to August 7.

Outside court Hendricks’ emotional grandmother, Esterine Hendricks, 60, says her grandson needs to pay if he is guilty.

Esterine says: “I will never speak nice things about my grandson when he has done something wrong.

“[They say] he took a life - that man had responsibilities, had a family, and he took that man away from that and he must pay for it.

“I had warned him on several occasions to stay away from what he was involved with but he never listened and this is what happened to him.

“Him and the boy were arrested on the N2 with this woman who sells herself there and they act as her bodyguard.

“When this woman gets the customers, then these two rob the people.”

Esterine, who raised Hendricks from when he was five years old after his parents died, says he has always been aggressive.

“He has always been problematic,” she said.

“In June this year I took out an interdict against him because he was rude to me at home, he stole from the house and he refused to work.

“He spent two weeks in prison but after my children asked me to withdraw the charges I did and he was released on July 3.

“I thought to myself just the other day, had I listened to my instinct he would have remained in jail and none of this would have happened.

“If I were ever to see this police officer’s family I would apologise for their loss.”

Daily Voice

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