Hetta Potgieter murder case to be heard at the Mbombela High Court in July
A trial date was set for July 26 to August 13. Vorster’s bail conditions was extended to that date, while Oosthuizen and Du Plooy were remanded in custody.
A spate of murders in which the elderly were targeted, captured the nation in 2018. It hit close to home for Lowvelders after 85-year-old Hetta Potgieter was found murdered in her Macadamia Care Centre apartment on July 2 that year.
Nelspruit police veteran, Lt Col Erhard Stroh, set an investigation in motion that led to the arrest of Shaun Oosthuizen (40), John du Plooy (28) and Maryna Vorster (50).
The three face charges of murder and house robbery, and appeared in the Mbombela High Court on Monday. Prior to their apprehension, Lowvelder reported that the trio had allegedly targeted Potgieter at Macadamia after having failed to gain access to the nearby SAVF Herfsakker Old Age Home.
ALSO READ: UPDATE: Accused rearrested after alleged murder spree S
ecurity cameras at the facility recorded the three entering the centre at 12:07. Potgieter was found dead, with her hands tied behind her back, on the bathroom floor.
Stroh reported at the time that, according to the coroner, Potgieter’s death was caused by suffocation. The three allegedly made off with R10 000 in cash and a house key.
The Nelspruit SAPS, with the assistance of Bossies Community Justice, pursued a number of leads and the suspects were tracked to a caravan park and campsite near Magaliesburg.
ALSO READ: Police believe murder accused preyed on soft target
They were arrested after a week-long investigation and returned to Mbombela where the court granted them bail.
Subsequent to this, it was discovered that they had allegedly committed similar crimes, targeting the elderly in Alberton on August 19 and Roodepoort on August 20 of 2018.
They were rearrested in Munsieville outside Krugersdorp to stand trial for Potgieter’s murder. While Oosthuizen and Du Plooy have remained in custody, Vorster was released on bail.
During the High Court proceedings on Monday, the three accused raised objections to the trial being broadcast, citing that they feared their family members may be exposed by the media.
ALSO READ: Six more murders of elderly women similar to Hetta Potgieter’s
When asked by the presiding officer, Judge Langa, what her reasons for objecting were, Vorster said, “Even if we are found not guilty at the end of the trial, the stigma will always remain.
“I also have a family and my children and grandchildren are being taunted at school. Even before the trial has commenced, I am already being labelled as a murderer.
“How do I appear to people in my community?” she asked.
ALSO READ: Trial date for Mbombela Macadamia Care murder set for July
Langa dismissed the objection on the grounds that the matter was in open court, that the accused were adults and that broadcasting the trial would not be detrimental to anyone.
“The issue of it being on social media is a collateral one. That the matter is public and in open court is unavoidable.
“As long as the media reports in a responsible way and does not embellish, exaggerate or add anything that is not part of these proceedings. I find, on that basis, that the application be denied.”
ALSO READ: WATCH : Hetta Potgieter’s murder accused could be linked to more cases
The judge continued to say that denying media houses the right to broadcast would be a violation of the public’s right to know what was happening.
“The public deserve to know more about the court system and how the law operates. The more they know, the more educated they will become.”
A trial date was set for July 26 to August 13. Vorster’s bail conditions was extended to that date, while Oosthuizen and Du Plooy were remanded in custody.
