Man who blew R2.5m faces jail for murder
WHEN a probation officer asked Jonathan Zealand how he had spent the R2.5-million he received from the state after being forgotten in prison, his answer was short.
He bought a house in Sherwood, then sold the house, moved back to Deverell Road in Helenvale and spent the money on drugs, alcohol and partying.
Ten years later, in June 2016, when he was arrested on a charge of murder, the former millionaire was working as a taxi guard – making R250 a day.
Zealand will be sentenced tomorrow after being found guilty of the murder of Angers Jordaan, who was shot several times in the head with a semi-automatic firearm.
The 39-year-old also faces sentencing on charges of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
In a story which made national headlines between 2005 and 2008, Zealand successfully sued the government after spending almost 2 000 days in jail because the paperwork for his release was not sent to St Albans Prison.
At the time, his appeal against his conviction and 18-year sentence on another murder charge was successful.
Zealand was also charged with another murder, but in that instance charges were withdrawn.
As a result, his counsel, Professor Deon Erasmus, yesterday argued that while frequently accused, Zealand should be sentenced as a first offender.
Judge Irma Schoeman admitted two reports into evidence, a probation officer’s report detailing Zealand’s circumstances and one from a social worker about his children.
His mother, Annette Baardman, who was looking after two of his children, died in January.
Probation officer Busisiwe Kani said Zealand confirmed to her that he had spent the R2.5-million on drugs, alcohol and parties.
“He first bought a house in Sherwood but then sold it.
“When he was financially secure, he did not plan for his children’s future,” she said.
She said he also refused to take responsibility for the death of Jordaan, despite the court’s finding.
Zealand has four children with two different women.
Zealand is following his father’s footsteps, being involved in gangs
Kani said Zealand told her he dropped out of school in Grade 9 and joined friends who were robbing people to get money for drugs.
She said he admitted to being addicted to drugs since his early teenage years.
His long-term girlfriend, Ashlene Langisa, told Kani she had been in a relationship with Zealand since they were teenagers and he loved her a lot.
Kani said Zealand also had another girlfriend, Natasha Prince, with whom he had two children.
She said both girlfriends described him as a good person.
“They would hear that he was involved in gang fights but they never saw anything,” she said.
She said Langisa described Zealand as a “kind man who supported his children”.
“She was not comfortable shar- ing him with Prince, but they had now become friends.”
Kani said Baardman had told her Zealand’s father was a gangster with a fondness for other women. She had left him because of that.
“Zealand is following in his father’s footsteps, being involved in gangs and having more than one partner. He is denying this too,” Kani said.
She said Jordaan’s mother, Katie, had been deeply affected by her son’s death.
“She told me that Angers tried to stay busy with positive things and was encouraging others to stay in school and find a job.
“He was always keen to apply for a better position to improve his life and to provide for his child,” she said.
State advocate Andre Canary argued that the court should exceed the prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment on both charges.
He said Zealand had shown no remorse and was not a candidate for rehabilitation.
Erasmus said if the court gave Zealand a shorter sentence, he could still play a meaningful role in his children’s lives.