Witness tells of deadly robbery in security estate

Independent Newspapers

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Pretoria -

The partner of a resident of Equestria, east of Pretoria, who was shot dead by robbers who broke into their home in a security estate, on Monday relived her nightmare ordeal.

Louise van der Walt was testifying in the Pretoria High Court on Monday against the accused.

Jerome Mfazwe, 30, of Mamelodi Hostels and John Makobe, 38, of Mamelodi West, pleaded not guilty to murder, housebreaking with the intent to rob and the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

They elected to remain silent regarding their defence.

On February 11, 2010, Adriaan Schutte was shot dead in his house in the Leopard Rock security village. His partner, Van der Walt testified in tears how she witnessed him being gunned down. Schutte died on the scene from blood loss owing to multiple gun wounds to the upper chest and face.

Van der Walt said when they went to bed that night, all the doors and windows were locked. The security beams outside were on and they had an alarm system inside the house. The entire estate was walled in by an electric fence.

She was woken up at about 1am when the light in their bedroom was switched on. “I saw one man inside the room and another at the door.

“I screamed and Adriaan jumped out of the bed. I heard shots go off and I also jumped out of the bed. I saw Adriaan slump down to the ground next to the wall in the passage.

“I saw a small hole on the side of his chest. I went to the window and shouted for help, while pressing the panic button.”

Van der Walt could not identify their attackers at an identity parade.

The intruders fled the scene with four cellphones and two laptops. It later emerged that they got in through a kitchen window.

Pretoria News