Cape Town: A self-confessed gang member, who says he has been reformed in prison, has entered into a plea agreement with the State.
He confessed that he had murdered three people, including a University of the Western Cape student, and was sentenced to 170 years behind bars.
He was also convicted of two attempted murders, one being a three-year-old child.
The identity of the convicted killer has been withheld as he has become a vital part of the State’s case against the main accused, Elcardo Adams, the alleged leader of the 28s Mobsters gang.
The 33-year-old man, originally from Mitchells Plain, was recently sentenced in the Western Cape High Court after he entered a plea bargain with the State, agreeing to reveal all about the hits he was ordered to carry out
The man was convicted for murdering Bradwin Craig Adams and Giuliano Williams in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
The accused said Adams had instructed him to carry out the murders and then to visit the house of Wendy Brown, who is the widow of Hamphire Hempies Brown. He was also killed in a hail of bullets in February 2018.
Hempies was killed in the parking lot of their bottle store in Kleinvlei and Wendy was left unharmed.
The convicted killer said Adams had ordered him to visit Wendy’s house in December 2018 and to kill everyone.
At the time, Wendy’ niece, Chevonne de Wet, was inside a car outside the house when the man opened fire.
According to his plea, he was instructed to kill and De Wet had been at the wrong place at the wrong time.
“The deceased lady, Chevonne De Wet, was at the wrong place at the wrong time when we went to go kill everyone at the house of Wendy Brown in Mars street, on instructions of our gang leader Elcardo Adams,” he said in his plea agreement.
During a detailed plea explanation, the man said he would tell the truth and that he had sleepless nights about his actions. He knew his life might be threatened after he became a whistle-blower.
The case is at a sensitive stage, with security measures having to be tightened as the accused reveals the details. The prison where he is being kept may not be identified.
The investigating team and the State have had to increase their security while attending proceedings in the Blue Downs Magistrates’ Court.
The 170-year sentence relates to 100 years for the murders, 30 years for Adams and Williams and 40 years for De Wet’s murder while he received 20 years for two attempted murders. Five years were for belonging to a gang, the possession of firearms amounting to 24 years and 10 years for robbery with aggravated circumstances, six years for the possession of ammunition and 10 years for the conspiracy to commit murder.
De Wet’s mother, who spoke to Weekend Argus on the conditions that her name be withheld for safety reasons, said her world shattered the day her daughter died. She had been her only child.
De Wet was set to receive her Master’s degree in biotechnology from UWC in 2019 and played an active role in the church.
“He has shown no remorse, he has not said why he killed my child, she did not know him and he did not know her,” she said.
“My child was studying and the next year she was to get her Master’s. Inside court, he kept his head bowed; he could not even face us (or) look at the family. There is no closure, no matter if he gets 170 years or 40 years.”
Elcardo Adams and Alfonso Cloete, a former police officer and 11 others are facing trial for their alleged role in the murders of businessman Hempies, his son Corne Brown and De Wet.
Both Adams and Cloete were denied bail early last year.
Their trial is expected to take place between May 23 and June 15.
In their final fight for bail to be denied, the State has contended that Adams and Cloete are facing serious crimes and could face life imprisonment.
The State has called for bail to be denied, saying the accused were a threat to witnesses and were potentially aware of who was set to testify.
Judgment in the bail application has been set for April 21 in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court.
Weekend Argus