The State’s star witness in the trial of 12 high-profile 28s gang members from Belhar and Delft has been called “a tikkop who has sensationalised killings to make himself look kwaai”.
The self-confessed hitman and drug runner took the stand in the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday where he was grilled by the defence lawyer for alleged Terrible Josters leader Horatio “Voudie” Solomon, the nephew of Ernie “Lastig” Solomon.
In the trial against Voudie, Ismail Ockerts, Brian Fieghland, Ishmaeel Ockerts, Elton Ely, Brent Campbell, Bradley Roberts, Lezay Booysen, Fabian Constable, Ziyaad Saafodien, Keenan Kruger and Lucian Consul, the witness has implicated them in a string of murders, retaliation shootings and drug cases.
Last week, the former Terrible Josters skollie testified about a revenge attack on rival gangster Levert “Sharky” Seekoei after the death of their own gang boss in Delft, known as “Ginger”.
He claimed that several days before Ginger’s funeral in Hawston, he and Ely were called to Voudie’s home in Delft where Voudie allegedly asked: “ Wie gaan Ginger se bloed optel?”
GANG LEADER: Horatio Solomon was implicated in a string of murders. Picture supplied
He says along with Ismail, he was sent to kill Sharky, a member of the Junior Mafias gang, after getting guns from a man named Worsie.
Solomon’s lawyer, who asked not to be identified in the media, presented a post-mortem report showing that contrary to the witness’ testimony that Sharky was shot on the right side of his body, the pathologist noted all the entry wounds were on the left side.
“You have admitted to using tik, did you maybe tik that day? Does it make you hallucinate to see things that aren’t there?” the lawyer asked.
But the adamant witness stuck to his guns, saying Ismail stood behind Sharky and shot him on the right side of his body, and also denied using tik that day.
The witness made his slice for a second time when the defence team refuted his claims about what happened on the day Voudie allegedly ordered the hit on Sharky.
GANGSTER UNCLE: ‘Dik ding’ Ernie “Lastig” Solomon is related to Horatio
He claimed several men, including Ishmaeel “Eel” Ockerts, were seen at Voudie’s house in Vuurlelie Crescent.
But the defence proved Eel was actually in the mang at the time, and the witness was forced to concede that he got it wrong.
The witness also claimed that after killing Sharky, they jumped over a neighbour’s wall to go back to Voudie’s house.
“Why would you jump over a wall when you could just walk? You are sensationalising this,” the defence lawyer said.
The trial continues.