Pretoria - An inmate serving a life sentence, 32-year-old John Leonard Du Plooy, has been found guilty and sentenced to an additional life imprisonment term for murder.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said Du Plooy was also slapped with a further 15 years imprisonment for aggravated robbery by the Roodepoort Regional Court earlier this week.
“This follows the murder and aggravated robbery case that was committed in August 2018 in Roodepoort. His co-accused, Shaun Oosthuizen (42), was sentenced to four direct life imprisonment (terms) plus 80 years imprisonment by the Pretoria Regional Court on 16 May 2022,” said Sekgotodi.
The arrest of the two followed the investigation of the murders of four old women who were brutally killed at different old age homes around Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces between 2018 and 2019.
“Du Plooy is already serving two life sentences and additional 30 years imprisonment for Springs and Alberton murder and aggravated robbery cases, which were committed in June and September 2018, respectively. The charges against him on a Mpumalanga case, which happened in July 2018, were withdrawn,” said Sekgotodi.
Du Plooy will serve a total of three life sentences for murder and 45 years for aggravated robbery.
Meanwhile, Hawks provincial head in Mpumalanga, Major General Zodwa Mokoena, has applauded the investigating team for securing the additional “substantial” life sentence.
“We appreciate the collaboration between the investigators and judiciary for ensuring that the heartless criminals who tormented the elderly who could not defend themselves are removed from the community”, she said.
She also appealed to individuals responsible for safeguarding the elderly to take extra caution in protecting them.
IOL