Port Elizabeth – A man who is standing trial for the murder of two-year-old Caydene Ruiters, who was killed during a gang crossfire, said that every witness from his community identifying him as a shooter at the scene of the alleged crime was mistaken, the Port Elizabeth High Court heard on Thursday.
"All the witnesses who said they saw me made a mistake," Gregory Van Staden testified.
Van Staden and Marcus Malgas are allegedly leaders in a notorious gang, “Sestien Honde” (Sixteen Dogs), and have pleaded not guilty to 11 charges which include murder, attempted murder and the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The State alleges the two armed men arrived on foot and randomly fired numerous shots at the group of people.
Van Staden claims that he was out of town the day the toddler was shot and killed. Caydene was in front of a house in Helenvale with her mother Davidene, sister and four men when a stray bullet hit her in the chest in December last year. The girl was taken to Livingstone hospital but was declared dead shortly after arrival.
State advocate Jason Thysse put it to Van Staden that his name had emerged from the start when the child's mother mentioned at the hospital that she had seen him running with a gun.
Van Staden mostly evaded the prosecutions questions and did not give direct answers, he further told the court that he only knew his co-accused in that he had seen him in the streets previously.
Judge Onika Van Papendorp who was visibly agitated told Van Staden that he had not answered any questions and further wanted to know how he was "well known" in the community. Van Staden again deterred from the question and replied that "everyone knew everyone".
The trial continues on Friday.