Three gang members of the Junky Funky Kidz (JFK), a gang that has been terrorising parts of the Cape Flats, have been found guilty of the murder of a rival gang member in the Western Cape High Court.
Gang members Shakoor Gaffoor, Riedewan Cedras, and Grandall Solomons were convicted for the murder of Achmat Gaffoor, nephew of Shakoor Gaffoor, and a member of the Flakka gang, for three counts of illegal possession of firearms and a count of the illegal possession of ammunition.
The trio initially faced nine charges, including charges relating to the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, and three counts of attempted murder.
On Tuesday, October 8, 2020, Achmat and his friend Eathan Schoeman were on the corners of St Blaise and St Barnard Streets in Steenberg, asking people walking by for money to buy dagga.
At the time, they saw a grey hatchback with a driver and three passengers in the backseat. About 30 minutes later, the vehicle returned with a passenger seated in the front seat.
Schoeman, told the court during his testimony that he felt uneasy when he saw the vehicle for the second time and it stopped in front of them.
The court further heard that the armed passengers in the vehicle, Gaffoor, Cedras, and Solomons, alighted, and he heard “hier is julle pappas” and he and Achmat started running in different directions.
The trio started shooting at them.
Schoeman told the court he managed to run away, but later returned to find his friend had been shot dead.
State Advocate Luzaan Williams, who led evidence in chief, asked whether the men were involved in a gang, and Schoeman confirmed that the trio were members of the JFKs, a gang which operates in Hillview, Cafda, Seawinds, and Lavender Hill in Steenberg.
He also confirmed that he and his friends belonged to the Flakka gang, and the two gang groups are engaged in a territorial war.
Any gang member who sets foot on rival gang territory would be shot dead.
“Although the incident happened early in the morning, witnessed by people, and was caught on CCTV, the accused pleaded not guilty and tendered a plea explanation in terms of section 115 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 51 of 1977,” Western Cape spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Eric Ntabazalila said.
Gaffoor claimed he was informed of the shooting by a friend and he had spent the weekend at his parents’ home in Melkbosstrand and returned the Sunday.
Cedras stated he was in Grabouw with his mother at the time of the shooting and Solomons told the court he and his girlfriend and his parents were together at the time of the incident.
Advocate Williams called a number of witnesses including the mother and aunt of Achmat - Gaffoor’s sisters, eyewitnesses, police officers, medical personnel and entered the CCTV footage as an exhibit for evidence.
Eyewitness testimony and video footage view by witnesses implicated the trio. The evidence revealed the JFK members acted in a premeditated manner and the Flakka gang were the designated targets with each one understanding their roles.
The evidence revealed each of the gang members were armed and shooting.
The court convicted the trio. Gaffoor, who was out on bail for the duration of the trial was taken into custody and they remain behind bars until August 7 for the pre-sentencing report.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL