Two members of the Fast Guns gang have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2019 murder of five-year-old Valentino Grootetjie. 

The little boy was murdered in Lavender Hill on December 21, 2019. 

On Tuesday, Carlo Hofmeester, 34, and Chadwin Isaacs, 30, were sentenced in the Western Cape High Court. 

They were awaiting trial prisoners for five years. 

The duo was convicted on charges of murder, contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca), nine counts of attempted murder, two counts of illegal possession of firearms, and two counts of illegal possession of ammunition. 

State Advocate Leon Snyman managed to prove to the court that the duo were members of the Fast Guns gang who were engaged in a drug turf war with the Mongrels gang in Lavender Hill and surrounding areas at the time. 

On December 21, 2019, members of the Mongrels gang gathered in Drury Court in Lavender Hill at a known ‘pela post’ (a drug den) where users congregate, smoke, and socialise. This is Mongrel territory. The target of the shooting was a member of the Mongrels gang who was on the premises. 

At number 37 Drury Court, five-year-old Valentino Grootetjie was playing in the yard when gunshots rang out.  The young boy was shot in the head while shielding his two-year-old brother from the gunfire of two gangsters. He died just metres from the kitchen door.

This was after the gunmen tried to kill an alleged drug dealer who was in the yard at the time, speaking to a woman who had been visiting the family.

The court heard that when one of the victims whom the duo attempted to murder saw Hofmeester running towards him as he came from the shop, he suspected he was up to no good. When he reached the gate of the young boy’s home, he warned the people inside. But, as he attempted to close the gate, Hofmeester grabbed him, and he managed to pull himself loose and run away. 

The witness stated he saw Hofmeester open the gate, look around, and start firing shots in the yard. Isaacs also ran towards the yard, opened the gate, and fired shots. Both shooters ran away after. Two women, also attempted murder victims identified as seen Hofmeester shooting in the yard. They swore at him and he fired a shot at them. They retreated. 

The intended target of the Mongrels gang was also one of the attempted murder victims. The State handed in ballistic evidence collected at the scene that showed the court the two firearms used during the shooting. 

In the six-week trial, Advocate Snyman called eight witnesses, including Valentino’s parents, a previous investigator, the current investigator, a gun expert, and a ballistics expert. 

A trial within a trial was held where the accused unsuccessfully challenged the admissibility of their warning statements.

Delivering her sentence, Judge Melander Holderness shared the sentiment of the State that the men had shown no remorse for their actions and failed to take the court into their confidence, and downplayed the seriousness of the offences against them. 

There were no substantial and compelling circumstances that allowed the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment. 

Hofmeester and Isaacs were sentenced to five years direct imprisonment for contravention of Poca, life imprisonment for Valentino’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.

They were also declared unfit to possess firearms. 

robin.francke@iol.co.za

IOL

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