By Mahira Duval
Pictures; supplied
SELF-CONFESSED gang hitman and child killer, Cole Nel, has been sentenced to 50 years in the mang by the Wynberg Regional Court.
Tears flowed yesterday as the family of slain 11-year-old Jordan Brown were informed of the sentence on the day the youngster would have celebrated his 14th birthday.
Jordan, along with his gang boss father Cheslin Nelson, died in a hail of bullets when Nel entered Nelson’s home in Lavender Hill in September 2022.
The Grade 5 pupil from Prince George Primary School was visiting his father’s home in Shepherd Way when Nel allegedly entered and opened fire on those inside the home.
He subsequently went on trial at the Regional Court where he faced two counts of murder, three cases of attempted murder and firearm related charges.
In his plea statement Nel admitted to going to the gang headquarters where he claims skollies were packing tik and Mandrax which was set to be distributed to dealers later in the day.
He claimed he was belittled by Nelson and said the shooting was to take revenge after he allegedly went to prison for a crime he did not commit.
During the sentencing Magistrate Pillay did not mince her words as she lambasted Nel for shooting Jordan at point blank range.
The magistrate said: “When you examine the post-mortem report of Jordan Brown, it is clear that the accused must have been facing the child as he fired a shot in his head showing he had no regard for the life of a young child.”
Nel was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders, 15 years for the attempted murders. Eight years for possession of a firearm and two years for the illegal possession of ammunition.
Pillay said she had opted to sentence him jointly on both murder charges and attempted murder charges as she slapped him with a 50-year sentence.
Speaking to the Daily Voice a representative of Jordan’s family said: “This is the best news. Today would have been his 14th birthday and we are very emotional because he was set to start high school this year.”