Life sentences for Fast Guns gang members in tragic murder of five-year-old Valentino Grootetjie
Valentino Grootetjie, 5, was shot and killed in Drury Court, Lavender Hill, in 2019. His two killers - Carlo Hofmeester and Chadwin Isaacs - who shot him in the head during a drug turf war, were sentenced to a life sentence each at the Western Cape High Court today.
Image: Supplied / Archive
Fast Guns gang duo and child killers, Carlo Hofmeester and Chadwin Isaacs, were each slapped with life imprisonment at the Western Cape High Court earlier today.
The two were also declared unfit to possess firearms. The sentencing follows their conviction at the High Court on June 5, where they were convicted for the murder of five-year-old Valentino Grootetjie when they shot him in Drury Court, Lavender Hill.
Valentino had been shot and killed in drug turf wars where rival shootings occurred between the Fast Guns and the Mongrels Gang.
Hoffmeester and Isaacs were also convicted of the attempted murders of Wesley Kok, Olivia Stevens, Natasha Daniels, Leticia Barnes, Crystal Joseph, Derrick Strydom, Gerswin Baars, Brandon Coetzee, Dillon Wentzel, and faced two counts of illegal possession of firearms and two counts of illegal possession of ammunition.
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National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said the two were convicted after being in contravention of Section 9(2)(a) read with sections 1, 10, and 11 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca).
'They were sentenced to five years direct imprisonment for contravention of Section 9(2)(a) read with sections 1, 10, and 11 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998, life imprisonment for Grootetjie's murder, 10 years direct imprisonment for each of the nine counts of attempted murder (90 years direct imprisonment), five years direct imprisonment for illegal possession of firearms and three years direct imprisonment for illegal possession of ammunition. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently.
'State advocate Leon Snyman proved that the accused were members of the Fast Guns gang who were engaged in drug turf wars with the Mongrels Gang in Lavender Hill and surrounding areas. On 21 December 2019, members of the Mongrels Gang gathered at 37 Drury Court, Lavender Hill, a 'pela post' where people congregate to smoke and socialise.
'It is in the territory of the Mongrel Gang. Stevens and Barnes were at 36 Drury Court, Lavender Hill. The deceased stayed with his parents at 37 Drury Court, Lavender Hill, and was playing in the yard when a bullet struck his head,' said Ntabazalila.
In the State's case, an eyewitness pinned Hofmeester as the shooter after they saw him shooting at 37 Drury Court.
'Kok, a member of the Mongrels Gang, was the target of the shooting incident and was one of the victims of attempted murder. Ballistic evidence collected on the scene showed that two firearms were used during the shooting. During the six-week trial, Advocate Snyman called eight witnesses, including the deceased's parents, Patrick Kotze and Romana Grootetjie, Stevens, Barnes, and four police officers – a previous investigator, the current investigator, a gang expert, and a ballistics expert. A trial-within-a-trial was held where the accused unsuccessfully challenged the admissibility of their warning statements,' said Ntabazalila.
In her judgment, Judge Melanie Holderness agreed with the State that the accused did not show remorse, failed to engage with the court, and downplayed the seriousness of the offences, appearing bored during the trial.
Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Nicolette Bell, lamented the loss of an innocent life of a child due to the scourge of gangsterism that is holding many communities in the Cape Flats at ransom, with many children being caught in the crossfire of gang shootings.
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Carlo Hofmeester, 34, and Chadwin Isaac (30) have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 5-year-old Valentino Grootetjie. Image: Supplied Two Fast Gun gangsters have been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 5-year-old Valentino Grootetjie from Lavender Hill, who was murdered in 2019 while protecting his little brother from their bullets. The Western Cape High Court on June 5 convicted Carlo Hoffmeester and Chadwin Isaacs of Valentino's murder and the attempted murder of a 22-year-old man and seven others. The little boy was killed as he rushed to shield his 2-year-old brother, pushing him aside, to protect him from the hail of bullets. The State proved the two gunmen entered the premises in Drury Court, Lavender Hill, on December 21, 2019, and opened fire, leading to the death of Valentino and wounding the man. The duo were found guilty under the Prevention Against Organised Crime Act (Poca), murder, eight counts of attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. They were sentenced to life imprisonment on the murder count, 90 years for the attempted murders, five years on the Poca count, five years for the illegal possession of a firearm and three years for the illegal possession of ammunition. The sentences will run concurrently with the murder count. Anelisiwe Manyana, spokesperson for the police, said the State had proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'Initial reports revealed that on December 21, 2019, two unknown suspects boldly entered a premises in Drury Court, Lavender Hill, and opened fire which led to the death of a 5-year-old and serious injury to a 22-year-old man,' said Manyana. 'The investigation of the murder and attempted murder case was taken over by the Anti-Gang Unit detectives who worked tirelessly to apprehend the people behind the shooting. "On December 23, 2019, their hard work was rewarded as they arrested two suspects aged 30 and 34 who made their first appearance in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court where bail was successfully opposed. The case was then transferred to the Western Cape Town High court for trial.' National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said State Advocate Leon Snyman proved the accused were members of the Fast Guns gang who were engaged in drug turf wars with the Mongrels Gang in Lavender Hill and surrounding areas. In her sentencing judgment, Judge Melanie Holderness agreed with the State that the accused did not show remorse, failed to take the court into their confidence, and downplayed the seriousness of the offences as they appeared bored during the trial. "There were no substantial and compelling circumstances which allowed the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment," Ntabazalila said. Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Nicolette Bell, lamented the loss of an innocent life of a child due to the scourge of gangsterism. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus
