Sentencing of 'Rambo of Port Elizabeth’ killers postponed

Deswyn Kleinbooi and Eston Afrikaner have been convicted of the murder of community policing forum founder, Naeem Desai. Photo: Raahil Sain / ANA

Deswyn Kleinbooi and Eston Afrikaner have been convicted of the murder of community policing forum founder, Naeem Desai. Photo: Raahil Sain / ANA

Published Apr 18, 2018

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Port Elizabeth - Two men convicted of the 2016 cold-blooded killing of a local community policing forum founder, "Captain" Naeem Desai were back in the Port Elizabeth High Court on Wednesday.

But sentencing proceedings could not proceed because the State was still waiting for an outstanding pre-sentence report.

Earlier in March, Deswyn Kleinbooi, 22, was convicted on a charge of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances but was acquitted of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. 

Eston Afrikaner, 19, was convicted on all counts. 

The State has yet to receive a pre-sentence report from a social worker for Afrikaner. 

In May 2016, Desai, from Jadeeds Bakery, was delivering bread in Helenvale when he was gunned down and left for dead in his truck in Fitchard street. The area of Helenvale is directly adjacent to Malabar. Desai, the founder of Malabar Patrols policing forum, on a daily basis travelled to Fitchard Street to conduct business in the area for his brother’s bakery. Malabar Patrols is a crime prevention initiative which started in 2008 when community members noticed an alarming increase in crime in the suburb. 

Judge Dayalin Chetty had earlier dismissed both Kleinbooi and Afrikaner's alibis as "contrived". 

Both the men had based their defence on alibis and claimed that they were not at the scene the day Desai was killed. However, Chetty had found that when witnesses testified to corroborate their defence, collusion and concocted alibis emerged. He rejected their denial that they were at the scene.

Judge Chetty postponed the case until May 10.

African News Agency/ANA

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