MPUMALANGA – Yesterday, 5 August 2021, the High Court in Mbombela sentenced serial murderer, Shaun Oosthuizen (41) to an additional life imprisonment plus 15 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
On 8 July 2018, the accused travelled from Gauteng to Nelspruit where he went to Macadamia Old Age Home to rob and kill Henrietta Catharina Potgieter (85). He was arrested and was later released on bail after his persistent applications.
While he was out on bail, the accused further committed another murder of an elderly resident, Barbara Esme Fenton (74) by strangling her to death on 1 September 2018 at her home in Alberton. The Hawks’ investigation led to the arrest of Oosthuisen immediately after the incident and he was further linked to another murder that occurred on 24 June 2018 where Engela Van Wyk (86) was killed and robbed at Rus n Bietjie Old Age Home in Springs.
The case was finalised where the accused was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment for Van Wyk’s murder and 15 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
In December 2019, Oosthuizen was sentenced to life imprisonment for Fenton’s death and 20 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances. He will serve a total of three life sentences for killing three old women and 50 years for further robbing them.
The Provincial Head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in Mpumalanga, Major General Zodwa Mokoena applauded the investigating team for securing life sentences. “We appreciate the collaboration between the investigators and judiciary for ensuring that the heartless criminal who tormented the elderly who could not fight for themselves is removed from the community,” she said.
