LOCAL
Justice has been served for Gift of the Givers volunteer Amieroodeen Noordien, who was fatally struck in a gang shooting in Hanover Park four years ago.

The conviction of 27-year-old Adrian Carelse and 22-year old Raiden Lekutu has been applauded after they were handed life sentences in the Western Cape High court on Monday.

In a statement, world renowned humanitarian organization Gift of the Givers described Ameerodien as a dedicated volunteer.

“Ameerodien was a dedicated Gift of the Givers volunteer, who together with other youth, were focused on moving away from the tentacles of criminal gangs to a life of service to those in need, and in the process provide honest earnings (we pay our volunteers in cash and kind) for the wellbeing of their own families,” read the statement.

The pair was arrested shortly after the shooting in May 2018, which sparked uproar over gang violence and prompted the deployment of the Anti Gang Unit to the area. Three others were also wounded when the rival suspects opened fire in Surwood Park.

Judge Monde Samela handed down a host of charges, including murder, attempted murder and the illegal possession of a firearm. Reports indicate that Carelse was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Ridewaan Samuals, after the 20-year-old testified against him.

Gang violence has meanwhile continued to plague the Cape Flats. Earlier this month, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde expressed shock at “horrific” revelations of gang infiltration within provincial SAPS- a reality many crime fighting organizations have highlighted as a key contributor to the ongoing triumphs of gangsters and their criminal activities.

“This wonderful news has come too late for Ameerodien’s mother, who unfortunately has passed on. Our special thanks goes out to Sergeant de Vries, the late Colonel Charl Kinnear and the anti-gang unit that responded timeously, resulting in the suspects giving themselves up within 72 hours of the killing,” continued the GOTG statement.

“We commend members of the criminal justice system who collected evidence, built a solid case that survived questioning in the courts and resulted in a very successful conviction. This is especially significant given the much spoken about collusion between gangsters, corrupt members of the police services and justice system. Fortunately, we have an overflowing number of honest, upright, God-fearing and ethical personnel within all sectors of the criminal justice system that can make a huge difference in delivering justice to the people of our country,” added GOTG.

SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg further commended the dedication of Warrant Officer Elton Logenstein and his team, who investigated the case.

“The accused and his co-accused were sentenced to an effective 25 years in prison for the hideous crime they committed. The Western Cape police management welcomed the sentence and commended the investigating officer and the prosecution team for a job well done in securing the sentences,” he said in a statement.

The NGO called on all citizens to do their best to raise the upcoming generation by example, through the display of moral behaviours.

“We call upon those who have “lost the way, sold their souls and succumbed to lucrative incentives”, to reflect, rethink and return to the noble path they chose to serve fearlessly with integrity, that will uphold the honour of all colleagues who died in the line of duty.”

“We as a community and a nation have a critical role to play to mould our children and guide them to the right path being exemplary in our behaviour, and identifying fearlessly those within our communities that act with impunity. The only way to end crime is to ensure that we don’t produce criminals within our nation,” appealed the organization.

VOC  

Photo: Supplied