A sentence of 40 years direct imprisonment handed down to one of three suspects for business robbery and the fatal shooting of a veterinarian in Pretoria Moot has been welcomed by police.

Linda Samantha Carolina Venter, 29, was sentenced on Wednesday, said police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Sello.

Dr Freddie Malan, who was the owner of the Jacaranda Animal Hospital, was shot and killed at his practice during a business robbery on January 31, 2019.

Venter assisted two men who stormed into the practice, where they held up the staff and a customer, then robbed them of equipment and personal belongings.

At the time, TimesLIVE reported a woman rang a bell at the practice, which has a security gate and intercom, quoting a person with information about the incident.

“As soon as the door clicked open the woman stepped back and let two guys with guns inside while she went back to the getaway car,” the person said.

Sello said during the robbery, Malan was shot and killed by one of the suspects who fled with the stolen items.

Detectives from the Pretoria Moot trio task team under the leadership of Warrant Officer Dennis Motlhaoleng were assigned to investigate the case. The suspects were linked to another case on the East Rand. A detective from the Boksburg trio task team, Warrant Officer Robert Ngomane, joined the investigation after they established that their respective cases had a similar modus operandi.

The team pieced all the evidence together and positively linked the suspects to the cases in Pretoria Moot and Boksburg.

Venter was arrested in September 2019 and has been in custody in a Boksburg prison.

Pretoria Moot station commander Col Hlengeni Giben Mashaba welcomed the heavy sentence handed down by the court. He applauded and thanked the team for working tirelessly in ensuring justice has been served.

TimesLIVE