Fiancée applauds quick arrests after armed response officer’s death
● Formal bail applications for murder accused postponed
The devastated fiancée of slain armed response officer Roderick Erasmus yesterday applauded police for the speedy arrest of the five men accused of the murder.
Odette Staines was speaking shortly after the formal bail application of four men accused of the murder of Erasmus last month was postponed in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s court.
Nitrous armed response officer Erasmus, 49, was shot outside a shop in Greenbushes after he responded to an alarm that had been triggered when six men robbed the store in Greenbushes Road.
Two of the suspects, Unathi Adam, 33, and Sandile Blaauw, 38, were arrested in the early hours of January 2 following a tip-off to police.
Two others, Mandilakhe Mjungulu, 28, and Luxolo Peni, 24, were arrested on January 6 after police followed up on information about men in a shack in Izinyoka, Kwadwesi who had firearms.
The fifth accused, Lungisa Peni, 24, was arrested at the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on January 10 when he appeared on an unrelated drug possession charge.
Since his first appearance, Blaauw has abandoned his formal bail application.
His case is expected to be heard on February 26.
Yesterday, state prosecutor Melani Hammett asked for the matter to be postponed to January 23 to allow the state time to prepare after Peni’s first appearance on January 13.
Erasmus’s family members and supporters sat quietly in the public gallery wearing Tshirts with a picture of Erasmus and “Justice for Ricky. Roderick Erasmus murdered December 27 2019” printed on them.
The five women including Staines, Erasmus’s fiancée of 18 years, wiped away tears as they left the courtroom after the matter was postponed.
“I don’t know how to feel [after seeing the accused in court]. I am glad that the police did their job,” a tearful Staines said.
“The task team assigned to this are excellent. Justice will be served.”
It is alleged that at 8pm on December 27, six armed men entered the Greenbushes store, robbed a 21-year-old man of his cellphone, and a 50-yearold customer of his phone, wallet and Nissan bakkie.
The men also took cash and cigarettes and Erasmus’s firearm before fleeing the scene in a red Ford XR3 and the stolen bakkie.
Erasmus was killed after he opened fire on the suspects following a struggle with one of them who was nearest to the door at the time of the robbery.
According to a source close to the case, who may not be named as he is not permitted to speak to the media, Peni was allegedly one of the getaway drivers.
All the men are charged with murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and hijacking among others. They have not yet pleaded. Adam, Peni, Mnikini and Mjungulu are expected back in court on January 23 for the formal bail applications.