The SAPS has confirmed that the three suspects who received life imprisonment and other heavy sentences on 4 September, last week in the Gqeberha Regional Court, were charged and convicted of a most heinous crime of violence and murder that shocked the coastal town of St Francis Bay.
The police have confirmed to St Francis Chronicle that charges on which Bongani Faku, Lukhanyo Faku, and Thobile Grootboom were convicted and sentenced, stem from the brutal murder in 2019 of an esteemed St Francis Bay businessman and for the pain and suffering inflicted on his wife.
The convictions follow a rigorous investigation into the brutal incident where the three accused trespassed into a residential property, committed an armed robbery, and viciously attacked the occupants. During the attack, the elderly man was gagged by the suspects and tragically died from suffocation.
When his wife arrived at the house later during the ordeal, she was struck over the head with a firearm, and lost consciousness. The trio then bound her with cable ties and subjected her to torture to force her to open a safe. The perpetrators subsequently fled the scene with stolen money and jewellery. They had previously committed other arned robberies.
Meticulous investigative work led authorities to identify one of the perpetrators, Bongani Faku, who notably did not wear a balaclava during the commission of the crime. Following up on vital intelligence, the Investigating Officer received info that Bongani Faku, who was on house arrest for an unrelated case, would be reporting to the parole board, where he intended to officially change his registered residence to an address in Johannesburg.
Acting swiftly on this lead, detectives intercepted and arrested Bongani Faku on 19 August 2019 at the Humansdorp Correctional Services Parole Board.
Following his arrest, he was detained at the St Albans Correctional Services facility. This critical breakthrough ultimately led to the apprehension, successful prosecution, and sentencing of all three accomplices.
The trio Bongani Faku, Lukhanyo Faku and Thobile Grootboom have been in prison since their arrests as they were denied bail after the State successfully opposed bail. The Gqeberha court last week sentenced the three, accused equally, on the following four counts:
Count 1 (Trespassing): Two (2) years imprisonment.
Count 2 (Robbery with Aggravated Circumstances): Fifteen (15) years imprisonment.
Count 3 (Murder): Life imprisonment.
Count 4 (Attempted Murder): Fifteen (15) years imprisonment.
Welcoming the news, the Sarah Baartman District Commissioner, Major General Thandiswa Kupiso, commended the meticulous investigation done by the St Francis Bay Detectives. “This sentence sends a clear message that violent crimes will not be tolerated in our communities,” she said. “The meticulous work of the investigative team and the prosecution ensured these dangerous individuals remained in custody since their arrest, culminating in a successful conviction and life sentences.”
Note: The names of the victims have been explicitly withheld out of respect and wish for privacy by the family.
St Francis Chronicle 