Two Roodepan security guards jailed for killing customer
Two security guards have each received 15-year prison terms for murder.
Image: File picture
TWO ROODEPAN security guards have been sentenced to 15 years behind bars after a Kimberley court found them guilty of murdering a customer they accused of theft.
The Kimberley Regional Court handed down the sentence to 37-year-old Itumeleng Mogwemang and 33-year-old Neo Potlwane, following a case that has drawn attention since 2022.
According to Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam, the incident took place on April 9, 2022, when the pair, while on duty at a local supermarket, caught 51-year-old Willem van der Westhuizen stealing and assaulted him.
Van der Westhuizen collapsed and later died on his way to Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital.
Sam confirmed that both men were convicted of murder and declared unfit to possess firearms.
The Northern Cape acting provincial commissioner, Major-General Thabo Mphuthi, and the provincial SAPS management commended the Roodepan General Investigation Unit for securing the 15-year prison sentences.
Mphuthi also praised investigating officer Detective Sergeant Vincent Phiri of the Roodepan General Detectives, whose meticulous work ensured the conviction.
She further commended detectives across the province for their relentless commitment to delivering justice for victims of crime.