Cape Town - A pregnant woman, who was gunned down in a gang shooting, was used as a human shield, cop sources have revealed.
Loud cries were heard in Athlone Magistrate's Court on Monday as the parents of Sadiqah Newman, 26, faced their daughter’s alleged killers.
Cops say the young woman, who was shot eight times just a month before she was due to give birth to her baby girl, was used as a shield.
Sadiqah was killed on 8 August when a group of Dixie Boys gangsters opened fire on her and a friend while they were walking to a Manenberg shop to buy electricity after 10pm.
Dahniero van Rooyen, Romondo Swartz and Grant Arendse were charged with her murder while their female companion, Phutuma Mntunjani, was also charged after she was found with a modified pistol believed to be the murder weapon.
A police source said the friend, who walked with Sadiqah, was the target of the shooting.
“He was a Dixie Boy, but he jumped kamp to (joined) the Terrible Josters in Tambo Village.
“He was recruiting Josters and the Dixies were sent to kill him.
“They shot him once, but then he used her as cover and that is why she was shot so many times,” said the source.
Sadiqah was shot four times in the head, twice in the stomach and twice in her upper arm, and her friend once in the leg.
The source further revealed that after receiving medical treatment, the friend went on the run and cops are still looking for him.
Sadiqah Newman was killed in a hail of bullets in Manenberg. Picture: Supplied
Sadiqah’s bereaved parents, Nadeema and Yassiem, were seen crying in the courtroom on Monday as the four suspects appeared for a bail information hearing.
Magistrate Keith Le Kleur postponed the case to 10 September for a formal bail hearing.
Her family has collected more than 700 signatures for the suspects to be denied bail and remain behind bars.
“It was hard seeing them because they took away my child,” a heartbroken Nadeema said.
“The community signed the petition; we have 731 signatures. Her children are crying and ask where is their mommy.”
Yassiem said the deaths of his beloved daughter and his unborn grandchild has devastated the family, who could not celebrate Eid this year because they were too hartseer.
He said days before her murder, Sadiqah told him to feel her tummy as the baby kicked, adding that she was very excited for the birth.