After 25 days on the stand, the State’s star witness in the ongoing high profile trial against the Terrible Josters gang was all smiles as he left the courtroom for the last time on Monday.
The self-confessed hitman and drug runner for the notorious gang, who has been piemping his former friends for several weeks at the Western Cape High Court, appeared relieved as he exited the High Court.
In his explosive testimony against 12 men, including the nephew of Ernest “Ernie Lastig” Solomon, Horatio Solomon, the 204 witness laid bare the inner workings of the gang as he told Judge Owen Rogers the reasons behind and the execution of alleged gang hits dating back to 2009.
ON TRIAL: Horatio Solomon.
The witness gave testimony against 54 of the 71 counts where he implicated Horatio, Ismail Ockerts, Brian Fieghland, Ishmaeel Ockerts, Elton Ely, Brent Campbell, Bradley Roberts, Lezay Booysen, Fabian Constable, Ziyaad Saafodien, Keenan Kruger and Lucian Consul in various murders and attempted murders.
He returned to court on Monday for re-examination after more than two weeks of cross examination by the defence team who accused him of being a tikkop who made up stories and defended his relative who is also standing trial.
The witness denied covering for his relative and revealed that his family still smokkeled for the Terrible Josters in Belhar.
HIGH PROFILE CASE: Elton Ely.
Proceedings were closed shortly after 3pm as the witness greeted Rogers and smiled as he passed the accused in the dock.
On Tuesday the State introduced new witnesses to cover the remainder of the charges which includes the murders of George Stevens and Victor “Fox” Bouwers from Elsies River.