The visibly relieved family of late Ameerodien Noordien who was shot and killed in a hail of bullets in Hanover Park hugged and thanked the police investigating officer WO Elton Legenstein from Anti-Gang Unit for working around the clock to ensure that justice prevailed, after the killers of their son and a brother to them were slapped with a heavy sentence in Western Cape High Court today on Monday 28 November 2022.
Adriaan Carelse and Raydien Lekuta were both slapped with 25 years imprisonment for murder and on counts of attempted murder they each received 10 years in imprisonment. All other counts which include illegal possession of firearm and ammunition would run concurrently with the count number 9 which is for murder.
Western Cape Judge Monde Samela said accused number two will serve his 25 years imprisonment starting from the day he committed the crime of Noordien murder as he was still a 17 year old juvenile when he committed the crime, however accused one would not be part of such arrangement.
Handing down the sentence Judge Samela pointed out that the Police Minister Bheki Cele had just released the crime statistics last week where it appeared that violent crimes, which involves gruesome killing of innocent citizens was a matter that needs justice system to ensure that there was a deterrent to this callous behaviour.
Judge Samela said late Noordien who was a young Gift of the Givers volunteer was a promising young life who wanted to be out of poverty in a dignified with way, no drugs, no gangsterism, no violence, only honesty, integrity, hard sweat and lawful earning to take of his family.
He said the law-abiding citizens had need to be protected from the criminals who believe they had an open season to commit crimes. He said the courts should send a clear message
Judge Samela further thanked the police and the prosecutors for doing a sterling work in bringing the perpetrators to book.
WO Logenstein was equally relieved that accused were taken away from the public and would spend time in jail.