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IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
Justice at last for slain Valentino Grootetjie, 5
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 on Tuesday. Image: Supplied / Archive THE Western Cape High Court has sentenced gang members Carlo Hofmeester and Chadwin Isaacs to life imprisonment for the murder of five-year-old Valentino Grootetjie when they shot him in Drury Court, Lavender Hill. The two were also declared unfit to possess firearms. They were convicted of the charges against them on June 5. 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. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said the two were convicted for 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, for 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. 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 ✕ 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. 'It can never be emphasised how important human life is, and therefore we will be vigorous in our pursuit of these cases to serve as a deterrent to murderers,' the NPA said. Police spokesperson Anelisiwe Manyana said the Western Cape police Commissioner Thembisile Patekile commended the work of the investigating and prosecution teams for ensuring that justice was served. Cape Times
Daily Maverick
8 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Murderers of five-year-old Valentino Grootetjie sentenced to life in prison
Valentino Grootetjie's parents are grateful justice has finally been served, but his mother says, 'I will cry for the rest of my life.' Valentino Grootetjie would have turned 11 on 22 June 2025. But instead of planning a birthday party, his parents are organising a bittersweet memorial to their son, who was gunned down in 2019 while he was playing with his younger brother in the yard of their Lavender Hill home. He was five years old at the time. More than five years later, after a trial lasting almost two months, and the ordeal his parents have endured each day in court, reliving and testifying to the horror of that day, Valentino's killers are finally facing the consequences of their crime. On Tuesday, 17 June, the Western Cape Division of the High Court in Cape Town sentenced Carlo Hofmeester and Chadwin Isaacs to life imprisonment for Valentino's murder. In addition, the court sentenced each to five years for contravening the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998, and a total of 90 years – 10 years per count – for the attempted murders of Wesley Kok, Olivia Stevens, Natasha Daniels, Leticia Barnes, Crystal Joseph, Derrick Strydom, Gershwin Baars, Brandon Coetzee and Dillon Wentzel. They were also sentenced to five years each for two counts of illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of ammunition. The sentences will run concurrently. Before passing sentence, Judge Melanie Holderness stated that she had assessed 'all mitigating and aggravating factors' of the case. Both Hofmeester and Isaacs had been raised in an environment of historical dispossession and displacement, where drugs and crime prevail, and the lure of the street gang 'family' beckons loudly to youths desperate for a sense of belonging. She acknowledged that they had been incarcerated for more than five years without bail, had finally admitted, prior to sentencing, to their involvement, and had apologised to the Grootetjie family, as well as the nine witnesses they were convicted of attempting to murder. But the aggravating circumstances far outweighed the factors in mitigation. 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. Multiple shots On 21 December 2019, in pursuit of a member of the Mongrels, both accused had consecutively fired multiple times into the yard of 37 Drury Lane, where Valentino was playing. In broad daylight and in plain sight, they had fatally shot the five-year-old in the back of his head, in 'an act of random and unfathomable violence', said Judge Holderness. Hofmeester and Isaacs claimed they fired only once, but evidence showed at least six shots were fired by each accused. In sentencing, Judge 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 had appeared 'bored' during the trial. There were therefore no substantial and compelling circumstances which allowed the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment. The court concluded they had refused to take responsibility or acknowledge the impact of their crimes. They had further perjured themselves with the 'clear intention of misleading the court'. Their conduct had augmented the 'inconceivable anguish' of Valentino's parents at losing a child 'under such violent conditions'. In their Victim Impact Statements, Valentino's parents, Patrick Kotze and Romana Grootetjie, both described the horror of witnessing their five-year-old son – the eldest of three – 'lying in a pool of blood'. 'We live in a violent ghetto,' reflected Valentino's father, Kotze. 'But our child was not even safe in his own home.' During the sentencing, the small courtroom was filled with the families of both victims and perpetrators – in stark contrast to the empty courtroom Valentino's parents had attended daily during the trial. Judge Holderness praised their dedication and Kotze's courageous testimony. She also commended Sergeant Siyasanga Mapukata for conducting an exemplary investigation into Valentino's murder. Now that the sentence has been passed, Valentino's parents are desperate for healing. They plan to marry on Valentino's birthday – as a gesture of love and joy, amid their grief and loss. It's what Valentino would have wanted, they say. But the residual trauma remains. After Valentino's murder, his father lost his job. The family is now destitute and Valentino's mother, Romana Grootetjie, suffers from severe post-traumatic stress. 'I am grateful that justice has been done and for the support we received from advocate [Leon] Snyman and Sergeant Mapukata,' she said after the sentencing. 'But the hole in our hearts will never heal. I cry for Valentino every day and I will cry for the rest of my life.' DM
IOL News
19 hours ago
- IOL News
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. 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 ✕ 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.
