The man accused of murdering nine-year-old Aqeel Davids of Ocean View on the eve of his ouma’s wedding will spend 25 years behind bars.
Dillon “Oupa” Petersen, 25, who is a dik ding of the Taylor gang in the area, was sentenced in the Cape High Court by Judge Mark Sher on Thursday.
It seemed Petersen was trying to dodge his sentencing when he first complained that his personal belongings had not yet been moved to another section of the prison and then later said he had stomach pains.
But Sher continued and sentenced Petersen to 20 years behind bars for the murder of Aqeel, 12 years each for seven charges of attempted murder, and seven years for the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Sher stated the charges would run concurrently, meaning he would effectively stay in jail for 25 years.
Last week in a dramatic about-turn during cross-examination, Petersen suddenly confessed to killing Aqeel and asked his family for forgiveness.
SHOOTER: Dillon Petersen killed Aqeel in a gang retaliation attack
It was alleged that on 9 September 2017, in the vicinity of Nebula Way, Petersen and his manskappe had chased members of the rival Junkie Funky Kids (JFK) gang in an act of retaliation.
Petersen claimed that one of the men had shot at his home two weeks prior.
The tragedy happened when two of the men they were chasing ran into the home of Aqeel’s ouma, Shanaaz Davids, looking for a hiding place.
Aqeel was shot in the head while standing in the kitchen.
During the incident, eight people were also shot and wounded, including the boy’s aunt and uncle.
Sher said Petersen deliberately fired his gun despite the house being filled with people.
ANGRY: Naseeba Jenkins
“From your own evidence, you wanted to shoot the people you were after and you knew that there were people inside and foresaw there being women and children,” he stated.
“Despite this, you deliberately and cold-bloodedly fired seven shots through the door and two into the house.”
Before sentencing, Petersen’s father, John Petersen, took the stand in mitigation of sentencing.
“I want to say sorry for what he did, I wasn’t there and I cannot say what happened,” he said.
In aggravation of sentencing, the detective, Warrant Officer Charl Muller, said the Taylor gang was part of organised crime in Ocean View.
He said the gang-related murder rate had more than doubled from 22 in 2013 to 47 in 2019.
And there was not a dry eye when Aqeel’s mother, Naseeba Jenkins, told the court: “I have never accepted Aqeel’s death, losing him in such manner, no one deserves such a death, especially not a child.”
Outside court, his ouma, Shanaaz, stated: “This is not an appropriate sentence.
“This is sending a message that you can just openly shoot into people’s homes.”