Justice has finally been served for the late Craig Roux who was brutally and senselessly murdered on the evening of March 23 last year.
According to Miles Bhudu, who is the chairperson of the Greater Eldorado Park United Civic Movement (GEPUCIM), Roux was shot 15 times in full view of bashgoers at the Don Mateman Hall in Eldorado Park, Ext 6.
“After that barbaric murderous act of absurd madness, the killer decided to flee the area and was in hiding for almost two weeks. He realised soon that he could run, but not hide, and surrendered himself to law enforcement officers.
“He spent close to 15 months as an awaiting trail offender without bail and was finally convicted of murder last month,” said Bhudu.
He confirmed that the convicted murderer is Wesley Ryce, who is commonly known in the community as ‘Oom Sleg’. Ryce received one life sentence of 25 years for murder as well as a concurrent eight years for carrying and using live ammunition.
Nadia Roux, who is the widow of the deceased said that even though nothing will be able to bring her husband back to her, she was happy that justice has been served.
“Although I feel he should’ve gotten more years, I feel a sense of relief knowing that he has been convicted and that he is in prison. The past few months have been extremely difficult. I have been hurt and humiliated countless times, but justice prevailed and I won the fight for my husband,” she said.
Nadia was pregnant at the time of her husband’s murder. Roux left behind a wife and five children.
“I still remember the night my husband was killed. My children went for countless counselling sessions and they have so many questions that I simply cannot answer. The death of my husband truly left a hole in all of our hearts,” she added.
On August 28, a walk through the streets of Eldorado Park was organised in order to bring awareness about the tragedy that hit the Roux family.
Residents came out in their numbers, wearing white shirts and blue jeans, with placards in support of the Roux family. They gathered at the Don Matemna Hall, the crime scene where Roux was murdered and made their way to the Olifantsvlei Cemetery where he was buried.
“It was overwhelming to see so many people join the walk, as we walked through the streets people joined in without us having to ask,” said Bhudu.
GEPUCIM hopes the walk will not be a once-off awareness campaign, particularly in an area like Eldorado Park where crime levels are escalating.
“On behalf of the immediate and extended Roux family, GEPUCIM would like to thank both the Eldorado Park SAPS and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department for their full cooperation and support in their duties, for having controlled both the huge crowd and the traffic to ensure that there were no incidents of intimidation and harassment,” said Bhudu.
Follow Us Here:
Catch the latest news by visiting our other platforms:
