suspect arrested bribed prosecutor

A 40-year-old suspect was arrested after he bribed a State prosecutor to make his case ‘go away’. Image: Pixabay.

Woman summoned to court for alleged link to ‘old-age home killers’

The case against the woman was initially withdrawn but she was re-arrested after the Hawks continued to probe on the matter.

suspect arrested bribed prosecutor

A 40-year-old suspect was arrested after he bribed a State prosecutor to make his case ‘go away’. Image: Pixabay.

New evidence has emerged about a woman who could be linked to the life-serving ‘old-age home’ killers.

A 51-year-old woman is summoned to appear before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court next month

WOMAN ACCUSED OF OLD-AGE HOME KILLINGS

The woman’s case was withdrawn by the Mbombela High Court in 2021. But the Nelspruit Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation found more evidence linking the woman to the murders.

ALSO READ: Life-serving ‘old-age home killer’ gets additional MURDER charges

“The Hawks discovered new evidence against her after an intensive investigation. During the probe, it was discovered that the woman was amongst the two already life sentence-serving prisoners,” said Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.

The woman will be joining Shaun Oosthuizen, 42 and John Du Plooy, 32 who allegedly robbed and murdered Hendrietta Catherine Potgieter. The killing apparently happened when the trio entered the Macademia Old Age Home in Mpumalanga in July 2018. They apparently fled with the victim’s jewellery.

woman
Life-serving inmate John Du Plooy faces additional murder and aggravated assault charges for an alleged Roodepoort incident. PHOTO: Hawks

THIRD ACCUSED REARRESTED AND SUMMONED

While the trio were arrested separately, the case of the 51-year-old woman was withdrawn due to insufficient evidence, Sekgotodi said.

“After the case was handed over to the Hawks for further investigation, the accused was re-arrested and her case was placed back onto the court roll.”

Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi

The woman is expected to appear in court on 12 August.

ONE OF OLD-AGE HOME KILLERS FACES ADDITIONAL MURDER CHARGE

Du Plooy, who is already serving a life-sentence for the murder, faces yet again, additional charges of murder, aggravated robbery.

He is currently serving two life sentences and additional 30 years’ imprisonment for killing the elderly at old-age homes in Springs and Alberton in 2018.

Du Plooy’s charges stem from an incident which allegedly happened in Roodepoort in the same year.

He is currently serving his life-sentences at Johannesburg Prison.

ALSO READ: Case of son who killed mom, DRANK her blood from her wounds delayed

The other life-serving inmate, Oosthuisen, is also in prison. He is linked to another killing in 2018, this time of Engela van Wyk, 86, at Rus ‘n Bietjie Old Age Home in Springs.