Horatio “Voudie” Solomon and senior figures in The Terrible Josters gang, said Judge Owen Rogers, were jointly responsible with those who ultimately pulled the trigger of the weapon that killed Vernon Botes in 2017 in Delft. 

The hefty sentences handed down on Monday 12 October for these and other charges are a blow to the 10,000-strong Terrible Josters, whom Solomon controlled in Delft, Wesbank, Elsies River and Kleinmond.

Rogers found that where senior figures were jointly responsible with those carrying out the shootings, their culpability is at least as great as that of the shooters themselves.

Rogers imposed life sentences on Solomon, his second in command, Ismail Ockerts, and gang member Lucian Consul for the murder of Botes. Another accused, Keenen Kruger, was handed a double life sentence for the murder of Botes and another victim, George Stevens.

Apart from the murder conviction, Solomon and Ockerts were also found guilty of the attempted murder of Herbert du Plooy.

Solomon also received three years under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA), nine years for attempted murder and nine years for dealing in narcotics.

Co-accused Ockerts was further sentenced to three years under POCA, eight years for attempted murder and 12 years for dealing in drugs. 

Kruger also received three years under POCA, 14 years for attempted murder and five years, respectively, for the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The sentences run concurrently, which means that Solomom, Ockerts, Consul and Kruger will serve life sentences. 

Five other members were acquitted during a judgment handed down by Rogers on 28 and 29 September.

They continued to protest their innocence. As far as I know, they still deny having belonged to the Terrible Josters. The absence of remorse is not an aggravating factor, though its presence, if genuine, might have been a mitigating factor.

Rogers found on Monday that the murder of Botes and the attempted murder of Du Plooy had been planned and premeditated, and that it had been committed by two or more people acting with common purpose.

Neither Solomon nor Ockerts had expressed any remorse for their actions

“They continued to protest their innocence. As far as I know, they still deny having belonged to the Terrible Josters. The absence of remorse is not an aggravating factor, though its presence, if genuine, might have been a mitigating factor,” said Rogers.

The men knew what they were doing was criminal and had to be held accountable.

“Society in general and the law-abiding members of their own community would be grievously let down if the court were not to mark their misdeeds with the gravity they deserve,” Rogers said.

The denial by Solomon and Ockerts that they had anything to do with The Terrible Josters came despite explosive evidence by a former gang member in witness protection who had testified previously.

During the trial, the witness repeatedly told the court that “Voudie”, or Solomon, was the leader of the gang, which consisted of 10,000 members.

Solomon’s uncle, Ernie “Lastig” Solomon, was also implicated by the witness.

Testifying in the Western Cape High Court in 2019, the state witness said that he had met all the leaders of the gang at a birthday celebration for Lastig in Hawston. 

At that gathering, Lastig had spoken to different leaders who had all given him feedback.

During the trial, evidence was heard that the core business of The Terrible Josters is dealing drugs. A state witness revealed how turf wars had resulted in numerous shootings which claimed the lives of rival gang members and innocent people.

“Turf wars are a major source of violent conflict between gangs, in which innocent bystanders are not infrequently killed or injured,” said Rogers.

Although Rogers found that Solomon and Ockert did not directly commit murder or attempted murder, this did not lessen their culpablity.

The conclusion of Solomon’s trial now paves the way for the Western Cape High Court to begin the trial of alleged Terrible Josters gang leader Elton Lenting, 41, alias Koffi, and 19 other gang members. 

This second group faces more than 100 charges, ranging from the contravention of POCA, murder, attempted murder, drug possession and dealing in drugs, bribery, damage to property and selling drugs to schoolchildren.

During their appearance in November 2019, at the same time the trial of Solomon was heard, Lenting and co-accused Raymond Arendse, alias Muis, 32, were attacked by fellow gang members. Both sustained head injuries.

The court ruled that for safety reasons the two matters could not be held in the Western Cape High Court at the same time. MC