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Hein de Jager: shot dead with arms in air

Dreiers Hardware store manager Hein de Jager was shot dead with his arms up in the air – testimony in Pretoria High Court

Thursday 26 May 2011 - By Cynthia Dreyer Madibeng Pulse - Chilling details have emerged in the Pretoria High Court over the past two weeks of exactly how Hein de Jager (28) of Dreiers Hardware store in Pretoria North was shot dead. The unarmed Afrikaner was killed aDe Jager Hein 28 Pretoria North murder 13March2008 _HANDS IN AIR_bl_attackerst point blank range on the afternoon of Thursday 13 March 2008. He had his hands up in the air, surrendering to  the seven black gunmen.

Judge Cynthia Pretorius heard testimony by witnesses which was concluded on Friday at the North Gauteng High Court in the two week trial. Five of the original seven accused men were arrested following the murder of 28-year-old Hein de Jager at the Pretoria North branch of the Dreiers Hardware store in 2008. One of the accused has since died and there is an outstanding warrant of arrest for the seventh suspect, said investigating officer captain Simon Tswai of Akasia police.

Sebyeng, Lolo Langa and Godfrey Mogashoa have all pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering De Jager and robbing the store of cash on that fateful Thursday in March. They’re also charged with robbing Mr Hendrik van Niekerk of R900. Charges relating to another robbery at PQ Clothing were withdrawn because the complainant could not be traced.

“I prayed for him until the paramedics arrived”
Riana Badenhorst, a client at Dreier’s building material store, testified that de Jager was sitting at his desk in his office at the store when she saw two black men come into the store and standing very close to him. She could see the men talking to him, but couldn’t hear what they were saying because she was talking to a cashier at the time. “Hein looked surprised. He moved back a little and then raised his arms. When his arms were halfway, the man nearest to him seemed to push something against him and then I heard a shot,” she said. “Hein fell straight from the chair with his hands still up... I turned around because I did not want to see what was happening. I realised immediately something was terribly wrong and I decided not to stand still while someone shot me. I turned around slowly and walked towards the door. Someone was standing at the door... but I slipped behind him and went to hide outside.” Badenhorst said she returned after the attackers had left because she did not want De Jager to feel that he was alone. “I tried to feel if there was a pulse, but I was so frightened I could only hear my own heart beating. I sat with him and prayed aloud for him until the paramedics arrived,” she said.

“Gunman knew where the safe was”
Cashier DE JAGER HEIN MURDERED_TRIAL_SHOT_WITH_HANDS_INAIR Hester Potgieter, (right, picture from The Star) testified that she was talking to Badenhorst when she noticed someone come in and go to De Jager. Then she heard a voice say: “People, we want your money” and a gunshot. She saw a man with a smoking gun in his hand, and two others pointing firearms at her.
Mrs Potgieter was ordered to open the till and the robbers put R6,000 (about $600)  into her handbag. One of the gunmen also took the key to the safe and Potgieter was forced to open it, and R800 was taken from there. She told the court he ‘clearly knew where the safe was’. The gunmen made their escape in a Nissan Run X and a green Sentra.  Potgieter returned to Hein De Jager, who was lying in a pool of blood on the floor.  She spoke to him, but he did not move and was dead by the time paramedics arrived.

One accused was given bail -- for being sentenced for a murder and armed robbery!
When the suspects and witnesses appeared in the Pretoria High Court in September last year, the judge said the case was one of the biggest on the court roll and that three days set aside at the time was too short, hence the two weeks set aside for May. However- a  shocking indictment of the criminal justice system surfaced when it was learned that one of the suspects arrested had also been due to stand trial for serious crimes in Nelspruit and that another was a convicted killer --  who was given bail for murder and armed robbery! He was serving a 45-year sentence while on trial for the murder of de Jager.

Forensic evidence and police testimony
Akasia Police Station detectives and information from the public led the police to Shoshanguwe where Mrs Potgieter’s handbag and the murder weapon were recovered that same night, and three suspects arrested the next day. Two more suspects were subsequently arrested after a tip off from the public. One of the seven young black males has since died. “If the missing suspect is traced, he could still stand trial in the case, no matter how far into the future,” saidCaptain Simon Tswai of Akasia Police. Judge Pretorius will hear expert forensic evidence from the police when the trial resumes next month. Mr Cor de Jager, Hein’s father told MadibengPulse on Tuesday that the next part of the case could still last a long time. Sentencing could take place next month.
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