Two men handed life sentences for the murder of an 82-year-old man.
Eric Ntabazalila, spokesperson for the Western Cape NPA, announced that the court found Barendse and Diergal guilty of housebreaking with the intent to commit robbery, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and murder.
Ntabazalila stated that Diergal was acquitted of the charge of attempting to obstruct justice after successfully applying for dismissal under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
Advocate Emily van Wyk, representing the State, informed the court that Gordon resided in Strand with Alton De Wet and his fiancée, Arista Coetzee.
Wyk explained to the court that Gordon, a friend of De Wet’s father, had recommended Barendse for construction work at the couple’s home. Barendse also helped De Wet with his business in Ceres and was there when De Wet received payment for a truck he had sold.
According to the NPA, on February 22, 2019, Barendse invited Diergal to accompany him to his employer’s residence, claiming he needed to collect something that had been left for him.
The men stole TV sets, jewelry, the couple’s bakkie, and R235,000 in cash. Later, they sold one of the TVs at a tavern in Lwandle, but after leaving, Barendse got into an altercation with gang members, and they were robbed.
Law enforcement tracked the bakkie’s route from February 22 to February 24, 2019, employing the License Plate Recognition system. The NPA noted that during this time, Barendse stopped by to see his brother, Rick Ashley Barendse, in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village, where he left the vehicle’s canopy.
His brother testified as a State witness, informing the police about the location of the canopy. Van Wyk advocated for the mandatory life sentence, asserting that no significant or compelling factors existed to justify a departure from this minimum penalty.
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