Michael Stenger

Michael Stenger (1982 – 2012)

Brief overview:

Michael (30), was at work at the company Sound Systems when four armed black males arrived at 09:30 in a luxury BMW on Saturday Jan 21 2012 at the smallholding where the business is located. In the resulting firefight between his employer Charles Loram and the armed gang, Mr Stenger was killed: he was being used as a human shield by the gang.

Forensic tests will have to determine who fired the fatal shot. Loram saw from his bedroom window that Mr Stenger had a black bag pulled over his head, and when he stormed into his business with his .38, two gunmen fired shots at Loram. Mr Stenger was hit and the gang dragged Mr Stenger into an adjacent office, and held the injured man in front of them while exchanging fire with the owner. When Mr Loram ran out of ammo and rushed to his home to fetch his 9mm, the gang tried to get their BMW through the electric gates – but couldn’t. They then fled on foot. Mr Loram said he believes he injured two of them. When he returned to his office he found Mr Stenger – shot through the heart.

Mr Loram – who is a life-style trainer and dietician – was badly traumatised and unable to make a statement to the police.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
  • Mr Stenger was engaged to Ms René Roestorf and their wedding was planned for September. He leaves his mom Mrs Hannie Klokie and sisters Monika Stenger and Manuela Bergendahl.
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
• Weapons
• Items Stolen
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
• Arrests
  • An injured black suspect was arrested at Nelspruit police station when he lodged a formal charge claiming his red BMW had been ‘hijacked’. After checking the Sound Systems security cameras it was determined that the man had been amongst the armed robbers. Police arrested a black woman at a taxistand and questioned her about lending the red BMW to a man who claimed he wanted to attend a funeral with it. SAPS spokesman lt-col Leonard Hlathi said they released her.
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction
  • The owner of Sound Systems, Charles Loram is expected to appear in the Regional Court about his death, and charged with culpable homicide.

Additional Biographical Information:

Links to Media articles:

• http://archive.fo/ByNeP
• http://archive.fo/rvPjR
• http://web.archive.org/web/20120512041524/http://www.beeld.com/Suid...
  • http://archive.is/cQsPl