The Boksburg Magistrate’s Court sentenced Matthew van Rooyen, a 30-year-old Reiger Park man, to 15 years imprisonment on July 7 for an armed robbery he committed on September 29, 2020.
Van Rooyen was found guilty of and sentenced for robbing a then 16-year-old victim at gunpoint in Reiger Park.
He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Magistrate Ramufhufhi presided over the case, with prosecutor Athinkosi Mancoba representing the State.
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Detective Sergeant Edwin Magane of the Reiger Parks SAPS, who led the investigation, detailed the incident.
“The victim was walking alone from the local shops when the suspect, who was known to the victim, threatened her with a firearm and forcibly took her cellphone.
“I managed to obtain the details of the suspect’s whereabouts and arrested him on December 15, 2020.”
Van Rooyen made his first court appearance on December 17, 2020, and was granted bail on December 26 but repeatedly failed to appear in court, leading to a warrant for his arrest issued on May 21, 2021.
He was rearrested on June 14 for failing to appear in court and denied bail.
According to Magane, the victim experienced trauma after the incident and had suicidal thoughts, an aspect he believes added to the severity of the sentence imposed on Van Rooyen.
“Considering the victim was a minor, the justice system takes such cases very seriously. The accused also had a prior conviction and was out on parole at the time,” said Magane.
Lieutenant Colonel Bongani Dube, the Reiger Park SAPS station commander, welcomed the conviction and praised Magane and his team for their dedication.
“This conviction serves as a reminder that crime does not pay, and those who engage in such activities will face the full force of the law,” said Dube.
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