Two jailed for killing Rastas for their drugs

TWO men were sentenced to 30 years and 18 years respectively yesterday for the murder of two Rastafarians whom they had robbed of their drugs.

Nealon Redhouse, 19, and Jezwin Peacock, 26, were found guilty in February.

Magistrate K B Ndungane said it was clear from evidence before the court that Redhouse and Peacock wanted to rob Gershwin Morris and Bramwell Fortuin of their drugs.

“The deceased were shot execution-style, without provocation – shot twice in the head to make sure they were dead,” Ndungane said.

The court found that the pair – alleged to be affiliated to the Spotbouer gang at the time – had broken into a shack in Bethelsdorp Extension 31 on November 1 2015.

There they took Morris to a caravan, allegedly used to store drugs, and then took him back to the shack where he and Fortuin were killed.

Fortuin and Morris were not gang members but Rastafarians selling dagga from their shack.

Peacock was arrested two weeks later in Kleinskool and has been in custody since.

Redhouse, who was 16 at the time, was arrested at his Bethelsdorp home about four months later.

He was released on bail but was arrested again in June 2016 for the murder of 12-year-old Aaliyah “Angel” Tee. In October, he will stand trial for the murder of alleged gang boss Donovan “Staal” Berry.

Both were found guilty on two counts of murder, illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition for the killing of the Rastafarians.

Ndungane said although the murder charges had a prescribed sentence of life, he had taken other factors into consideration. He said because Redhouse was 16 at the time of the murders the prescribed sentence of life was not applicable.

“[Redhouse’s] immaturity at the time must be considered. If he was 18 at the time he would get a harsher sentence,” Ndungane said.

For the two counts of murder, Peacock was sentenced to 20 years each with 10 years suspended.

For the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, Ndungane sentenced Peacock to seven years. All the sentences would run concurrently, meaning Peacock would be behind bars for an effective 30 years.

Redhouse was sentenced to 12 years for each charge of murder with six years suspended. He was sentenced to five years for the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

All the sentences will run concurrently, meaning Redhouse will be behind bars for an effective 18 years.