Jonathan Chauke and Peter Mthembu were nowhere near Anton Dippenaar when he was shot. But dogged detective work has linked them to the 26-year-old’s death and has seen them jailed for life for their role in his murder.
Their conviction is believed to be the first time “spotters” in a gang of associated robbers have been convicted.
Associated robbery is police-speak for gangs that specialise in following people who have withdrawn large amounts of cash from a bank, intending to rob them.
And on Friday they all received life sentences.
It was an unusual case: the spotters were also caught and jailed; and although the robber who shot the passer-by was himself killed by police officers at the scene, the surviving gang members were convicted of both deaths. This follows the legal principle that those who take part in an armed crime are held responsible for any deaths resulting from it.
Acting Judge Gerhardus Hattingh called the killing “cold blooded”. He said the gang showed no remorse and there were no exceptional or compelling circumstances to prevent him handing down life sentences.
The court heard that on April 3, 2008, Peter Jonischkeit, 68, and Joachim Molthahn, 65, withdrew R10 000 from the Standard Bank at Woodbridge Mall in Glen Marais, Kempton Park.
Inside, Chauke and Mthembu watched the transaction, then left the bank and used a cellphone to alert their accomplices.
Jonischkeit and Molthahn arrived at their business in Kempton Park, where they were attacked and robbed by four men with guns.
As the robbers fled, they crashed their getaway vehicle into a palisade fence a few hundred metres away.
Passer-by Dippenaar had blocked their getaway with the bakkie he was driving.DISCLAIMER:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder
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