POLOKWANE – JP Malan and Maruschka Robinson, a former Polokwane resident are on trial for the murder of Dustan Blom in 2013.
The two allegedly killed Blom by strangling him and dumped his body in the boot of his car, which they left in the parking lot of Montecasino, north of Johannesburg.
They then went shopping using Blom’s credit cards.
Upon arrest, they blamed the murder on each other.
However, Malan was found guilty of the murder, while Robinson was found guilty of being an accessory to murder. They were both also found guilty of robbery with aggravated circumstances, as well as fraud.
During mitigation of sentencing at the Johannesburg high court on Tuesday, details emerged that Malan had confessed to the murder. Probation officer, Annette Vergeer told the court that it was during a consultation with Malan that he confessed to her. She also mentioned that Malan was remorseful for what he had done and that he wanted to come clean.
Robinson, who remains an accomplice to the murder, grew up in Polokwane. She matriculated from a local school in 2007 and became a stripper at the Lollipop Lounge in Johannesburg, where she met her ex boyfriend, Malan.
She admitted to the court to being present when the body of Blom was taken and dropped off at Montecasno and also pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud.
In addition, she also admitted to wiping the deceased’s blood from the floor in his home. It is also alleged that Robinson was the one who overdosed the deceased before he was killed.
Sentencing continues in Johannesburg.
