CAPE TOWN - A gangster affiliated with the Junky Funky Kids (JFK) has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment after he confessed to being part of a plot to bomb the house of late Anti-Gang Unit member, Lieutenant Colonel Charl Kinnear.
NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila on Tuesday said Fareez Smith was convicted in the Khayelitsha Priority Crimes Court on a count of aiding and abetting the activities of a gang, possession of explosives under certain circumstances and conspiracy to commit murder.
He was sentenced to five years for each of the charges, and the court ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
“In his plea and sentencing agreement, Smith admits that he was a member of the JFK gang, operating in Manenberg. The gang committed crimes like conspiracy to commit murder, murder, attempted murder, possession of firearms, possession of ammunition, theft, housebreaking, assault and dealing in drugs.
“He told the court that he and Janick Adonis were neighbours and members of the JFK gang. He claims Adonis contacted him from prison on November 22, 2019, and they conspired to launch a hand grenade on Lt Col Kinnear’s house, in Bishop Lavis and kill him. Adonis told Smith that his girlfriend, Amaal Jantjies would make contact and confirm details of the plan. Adonis and Jantjies are co-accused with others charged with the murder of Lt Col Kinnear.”
Ntabazalila said Jantjies contacted Smith, and they met after Jantjies arrived in a German sedan with another man and a woman.
“Smith was given directions to the targeted house in Bishop Lavis and was shown a video on a cellphone of where he had to go and throw the hand grenade. He was promised R3 000 for throwing the hand grenade to kill Lt Col Kinnear. He claims at the time he didn’t know the house belonged to Lt Col Kinnear but became aware of this after he spoke to Adonis on Jantjies’ phone.”
Smith confessed that they first drove to Clarke’s Estate, where they bought tik and smoked it in the vehicle.
“He was dropped close to the house and Adonis sent him instructions via SMS, to throw the hand grenade hard against the wall, to ensure the pin comes out so that it will explode. He was given the hand grenade, put it in his pants and walked towards the house. As he got closer to the house, he saw two police officers getting out of their vehicle that was parked in front of the house. They confronted him, and at that moment the hand grenade fell out of his pants onto the ground and the police officers arrested him. He admits the hand grenade could have killed the police officers outside the house and the Kinnear family that was inside the house with him,” Ntabazalila said
State Advocate Adenaan Gelderbloem told the court the accused conspired to kill a person, and they would have benefited financially from the murder.
“Several law enforcement officers and members of the judiciary have become the targets of criminal attacks for doing their legal duties.”
Cape Times