Gang hitmen use muti to keep them safe when they carry out hits, the Western Cape High Court heard on Thursday.
A former skollie turned State witness testified how the Terrible Josters orchestrated the death of one of their own gang’s members.
The self-confessed hitman and drug runner claimed the gang believes in using muti as a form of protection from being shot or arrested.
The man, who is the State’s star witness in the trial against alleged Terrible Josters leader Horatio “Voudie” Solomon, the nephew of Ernest “Ernie Lastig” Solomon and 11 others, said the gang took out of one of their own, Jermain “Joey” Louw, as punishment for allegedly tikking with Ernie’s daughter.
In his testimony, he detailed how Belhar gang boss, Elton Ely, allegedly paid a rival gang member, Jermaine “Piggels” McKenzie, in August 2009 to kill Joey.
Asked by the defence team why the instruction was to shoot Joey at 8pm, the witnesses said Ely had consulted his witchdoctor.
‘DIK DING’: Hit on ou who tikked with Ernie Solomon’s daughter
“Accused 5 [Ely] told me to get Piggels to shoot Joey (at 8pm) because they both carried muti. Someone without muti can’t kill someone with muti.”
He says when they contracted Piggels, Ely agreed to give him a 9mm pistol and 100 mandrax pille as payment.
“Accused 5 told him (Piggels) to kill him (Joey) at 8pm.
“He must have spoken to his muti doctor who gave him the time,” said the witness.
“I don’t know when he went because we don’t have the same muti doctor. I went to fetch the gun in the channel, buried in my yard and gave it to Piggels.”
Questioned about whether the muti worked, the skollie said: “When I was a gangster, I believed in it. When you have muti then you can’t be shot and the police won’t find your drugs. It worked for me so I believed in it.”
He says Joey was killed later that night, but he was not at the scene.
‘PAID KILLER’: Elton Ely
The defence team, however, pointed out that while a pistol was given to shoot Joey, cops found revolver rounds at the murder scene.
They also highlighted discrepancies in the time of the shooting; witnesses said Joey was shot at 9.30pm.
It was also revealed that Piggels gave a witness statement to police, but was later charged with the murder.
The case continues.