Alleged state witness in ‘revenge mission’ case gunned down

Six men allegedly involved in a so-called 2016 revenge mission which left two people dead, another kidnapped and saw several homes go up in flames, pleaded not guilty to a string of charges in the Eastern Cape High Court in Port Elizabeth yesterday.

But the state was dealt a serious blow after a person who is believed to be a state witness was gunned down.

Earlier this month, four people were sitting at the back of a house in Searle Road in Schauderville, when an unknown person entered the yard and started shooting at the group. At the time, police said two people, aged 27 and 34, sustained fatal injuries while another two, 28 and 33, were injured.

ANA understands that one of the people who was killed during the attack was expected to testify against some of the accused in the trial in the high court.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said last week the name of the deceased was being withheld for security reasons.

Damian Kammies, Deilon Makoppa, Kurt Bosman, Christiano Witbooi, Ashton Calvert and Warren Steyn face 15 charges including murder, attempted murder, arson, housebreaking, assault to cause grievous bodily harm, kidnapping and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

All six of them come from notorious gang-infested Schauderville, in the city’s northern areas.

According to the state, the men were on a mission to hunt down Neville Bruintjies, who had allegedly taken a firearm from two fellow Spotbouers gang members.

During November 2016, the men allegedly broke into a house in Schauderville in pursuit of Bruintjies. But when he couldn’t be found, the men then kidnapped Mohammed Abdullah.

While continuing to search for Bruintjies, Abdullah was killed and his body later discovered in the Malabar area.

The men allegedly returned to Bruintjies’s mother’s house and Abdullah’s house, which they set alight.

The alleged killers continued to search for Bruintjies at a house in Lawler Street in Schauderville. When they came into contact with Franklin Matthys who could not help with information, they allegedly kidnapped and assaulted him with a firearm.

When Nigel Matthys could not also help with information on Bruintjies’ whereabouts, he was allegedly hit with a baseball bat.

The state alleges that in the interim, Matthy’s cousin, Deon, was shot and killed in cold blood.

The trial was postponed until today due to the unavailability of an interpreter. – ANA