WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2008-12-13 Time: 08:00:10 Posted By: Jan
The tearful mother of slain Vicky McLachlan is happy with the life sentences imposed on her daughter’s murderers, and says she can now finally set her teenager free.
Daphne McLachlan spoke to the Cape Argus outside the Cape High Court just moments after Johannes Petersen, Jonathan Fortune and Abdul Mogammat Gafoor were each sentenced to life imprisonment. Gafoor and Fortune received additional life sentences for rape, and five years for indecent assault. Each was also sentenced to 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, five years for kidnapping and two years for the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
At the time of her murder, McLachlan worked as a waitress at a tavern in Diep River on April 8, 2003. On her way home, when she dropped off a passenger in Retreat, a group of men hijacked her in her BMW.
They forced her to crouch inside the vehicle while they robbed her of her possessions.
They forced her to crouch inside the vehicle while they robbed her of her possessions |
They then drove her to a farm in Philippi, near a heap of manure, where she was raped and indecently assaulted.
The court heard she was then dragged into nearby bushes where she was shot dead.
A fourth man, Rashaad Square, is already serving 22 years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to the murder and testified against the other accused.
The men expressed no emotion when Judge Dumisani Zondi sentenced them.
McLachlan was however in tears. She said the trial had been traumatic and emotionally draining, but that she was pleased it had been finalised so she could put it behind her.
| ‘I suppose we can set her (Vicky) free now’ |
She said she was thankful that the men received the sentences they deserved.
“I suppose we can set her (Vicky) free now,” she added.
In passing sentence, Judge Zondi looked at the personal circumstances of each of the men. He said Petersen was not a first offender and referred to evidence that he had a difficult childhood, developed slowly and struggled at school.
He also said Fortune was a drug addict and that his mother did not paint a good picture of him when she testified in mitigation of her son’s sentence. Turning to Gafoor, Judge Zondi described him as the one who orchestrated the attack. He said there was evidence that Gafoor had brushes with the law at an early age.
He found there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to justify a departure from the prescribed minimum of life imprisonment for the murder.
Judge Zondi said the crimes committed were serious and that society expected the men to be sentenced harshly. The courts needed to protect South Africa’s democracy by sending out a strong message that such crimes would not be tolerated.
Judge Zondi also said rape was a serious threat to a woman.