Cape Town - The mother of the girlfriend of one of the co-accused in the George “Geweld” Thomas trial broke down in the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday.
Wendy Eksteen was detailed how the family was struggling since the arrest of accused number five, Derrick Claasen.
“Things are really not going well. Since he was arrested, there has been a lot of pressure,” said a crying Eksteen who was testifying in mitigation of sentence for Claasen.
Sentencing procedures continued on Wednesday in one of the country’s biggest gang trials where the alleged 28s gang leader, Thomas, and 16 others were last week convicted on over 100 charges including murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms and racketeering.
The trial, which began in 2011, saw Thomas and his co-accused, including Claasen, tried under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
Eksteen cried as she read a letter from one of Claasen’s three children, his 11-year-old daughter.
“I want to grow up with him and my brother is only eight-years-old,” read the letter.
Eksteen spoke of how the arrest of Claasen in 2008 came as a huge shock to his 11-year-old daughter who was now on medication.
The arrest and the trial, according to Eksteen, had proved emotionally distressing to Claasen’s two children, aged 11 and eight, he has with Eksteen’s daughter, with schoolmates teasing them about their father’s arrest and conviction.
A third child, aged 13, from Claasen’s previous relationship, lived in Bredasdorp in order to keep her from trouble.
Eksteen testified that before his arrest in 2008, whenever he had had the opportunity, Claasen visited his asthmatic mother and gave her money.
The family, according to Eksteen, was financially dependent on Claasen and were struggling to make ends meet since his arrest.
Claasen was found guilty on a range of charges including murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and gang-related crimes.
Sentencing proceedings would continue later on Wednesday.
ANA