Watson, Nel get life for murder of Boksburg’s Andries Putter
The two men responsible for the murder of Andries Putter, who was killed in Boksburg North, have been sentenced to long prison term.
Men linked to murder of Boksburg North’s Andries Putter guilty
The pair was sentenced on May 17, in the Boksburg Magistrates Court.
Johannes Nel received life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder, 15 years for fraud and five years for defeating the administration of justice.
Meanwhile his accomplice, Lance Watson, was sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder, and 15 years for fraud.
Putter was 20 years old when he was killed on May 16, 2011. His body was found lying in the veld next to Campbell Road in Boksburg North, with his throat slit.
Nel was the sole witness to the murder.
It emerged, at the time, that Nel and Putter were best friends, and they were together when Putter was killed.
Gerald misleadingly told the police that he and his friend were walking along the veld when four men he described as black males driving in a double cab 4×4 with ANC stickers on it, accosted them.
The fabricated story dealt with Putter and the men arguing over the local government elections.
Nel added that the debate became heated, before the men got out of the vehicle and attacked them.
According to Nel’s initial statement, in an attempt to escape the attack, they both ran in different directions, but the attackers cornered Putter and killed him.
Investigators suspected that he was not telling the truth and took him back to the scene and questioned him again.
He eventually gave another account of the event, admitting to the police that his first statement was false.
He was then arrested and charged with perjury.
Following weeks of investigation by Const Det Meshack Masoma and his colleague, Sgt Det Khutso Lefophane, a second man, Lance Watson, was eventually arrested in connection with the murder.
Watson was charged with fraud and conspiracy to commit murder, in connection with the death of Putter.
The no-nonsense approach to the matter later revealed that, with the help of Nel, Watson apparently took out an insurance policy, pretending to be Putter.
It then became clear that Putter’s death was planned by the people who had taken out the insurance policy, and that they tried to collect the R1-million insurance money.
Watson was recently found guilty on all counts, while Nel was found guilty of perjury and conspiracy to commit murder.
The Boksburg police congratulated both Lefophane and Masoma for their efforts.
Magistrate Abel Shilubane presided and prosecutor Maria Olivier represented the state.-@FanieFLK
Various crimes prosecuted – court news | Boksburg Advertiser
