Despite being charged with various crimes, going through legal representation issues, and previously being denied bail, 28s gang boss accused Ralph Standfield now faces another criminal count, meaning his legal problems are mounting.

On Thursday, 28 March 2024, Stanfield heard he is likely to face a housebreaking-related charge that stems from 2018.

This emerged in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court when he made an appearance together with his co-accused — his wife Nicole Johnson and three others, Denver Booysen, Johannes Abrahams and Jose Brandt, also known as Makop.

Among those present in the public gallery on Thursday was Johnson’s mother Barbara.

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She appeared calm sitting on the front row of the gallery, while Johnson appeared serious, maintaining eye contact with the magistrate.

Barbara Johnson owns half of the Ayepyep Lifestyle Lounge — a venue in Cape Town which was previously the subject of accusations involving intimidation levelled against Stanfield and Johnson.

Stanfield had made counterclaims of his own.

Ralph Stanfield and Nicole Johnson. (Photo: Jaco Marais/Gallo Images/Die Burger)

Statement and ballistics

During his brief appearance on Thursday state prosecutor Advocate Frank van Heerden told the court there was an outstanding witness statement in the case.

He was optimistic it would be obtained soon.

Van Heerden said the statement related to a housebreaking charge that Stanfield would face.

He added that the state had received two long-awaited ballistic reports hours before Thursday’s appearance of the five accused.

It is understood that this evidence could link Abrahams, Booysen and Brand to the attempted murder of a former employee of Stanfield’s who allegedly stole more than R1-million from Stanfield and Johnson.

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Van Heerden said there was evidence that projectiles were found in a vehicle and also removed from a victim.

Regional court transfer

During Thursday’s proceedings, Ross McKernan, legally representing Stanfield and Johnson, along with Advocate Frans Mashele as his advisory counsel, told the court he understood that the state had every right to request as much time as possible to finalise its investigation.

However, McKernan told Magistrate Alida Theart: “We wish to properly deal with this case and ask that it be withdrawn from this court and be taken to the regional court”.

The accused, he said, were interested in seeing the case progress.

Van Heerden asked that the case be postponed for a final time to 26 April.

However, the legal team representing the accused objected to his request and said that the previous appearance had already been marked as the final postponement.

While Van Heerden was addressing the court about a possible postponement, Stanfield appeared to become agitated, at one point even asking McKernan to have a quick chat with him.

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McKernan told the court Stanfield faced another charge in the Wynberg Magistrate Court and so had to also appear there.

Van Heerden told the court that the Wynberg case would be joined with the current case for which Stanfield and co have appeared in the Cape Town court.

The case was eventually postponed to 10 May to finalise a date for it to be transferred to the regional court.

Charge sheet

Stanfield and his co-accused face charges relating to the theft of a 2017 BMW 320i M-Sport vehicle worth about R326,050, robbery relating to a Samsung cellphone worth R2,500, and fraud.

He also faces an attempted murder charge.

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During a previous court appearance, in February, it emerged they had fired their lawyer, advocate Luzuko Guma, who represented them during their bail hearings, which turned out to be unsuccessful.

Stanfield and Johnson have been detained for six months since their arrests at their Constantia home in Cape Town on 29 September.

Together with their three co-accused, they remain in custody.

The couple also faces charges stemming from 2014.

That case is based on allegations that three (now former) police officers linked to the Central Firearm Registry — Priscilla Mangyani, Billy April and Mary Cartwright — issued gun licences to Stanfield and others who had no legal right to them. DM