Jeremiah Fortuin and Ricardo Cloete (Photo: The Savior TV/Facebook)
Two members of the Ferodo gang were sentenced in the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town to effective life imprisonment for the murder of an eight-month pregnant woman and the attempted murder of six other people during a gang-related shooting in Kraaifontein.
Jeremia Fortuin and Ricardo Cloete were found guilty of the murder of Shahida Nathan (21), as well as six charges of attempted murder. The court found the shooting was part of a turf war between rival gangs over illegal drug trafficking.
According to the state, there are at least nine active gangs in the Kraaifontein area. The Ferodo gang, of which the accused are members, operates in an area known as the “Zoo”, which includes Klipbok Street and surrounding streets.
At the time of the incident, they were in a conflict with the so-called Mobster gang.
Public prosecutor adv. Steven Rubin presented to the court that the incident took place on June 21, 2020.
On the morning of the incident, Fortuin and Cloete spotted Alfredo Titus and Ridwaan Smith, members of the Mobster gang, at a plot in Klipbok Street, Scottsdene. The two men entered the yard, after which the defendants chased them.
However, Titus and Smith took refuge in the main house. The defendants mistakenly believed they were in informal structure in the backyard where Nathan and six other people were sitting and hanging out.
The group was making potjie food and using so-called “tik-lollies” when Cloete apparently pointed out the hut to Fortuin. Fortuin, who was armed with an illegal firearm, then opened fire on the hut.
Nathan was fatally wounded, while two men, aged 29 and 37 respectively, were also wounded. The accused then fled the scene.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty and denied being at the scene.
Fortuin claimed he had attended a party in Klapmuts the night before and was too drunk to wake up the next morning. Cloete claimed he had taken drugs and only woke up later that day.
However, the state, led by Rubin, relied, among other things, on statements by the deceased Titus and Smith, which were admitted as hearsay evidence.
The court found that the state had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt and that the defendants’ denials were false and should be rejected.
Fortuin was found guilty on ten charges, namely membership of a gang; murder; six counts of attempted murder; illegal possession of a firearm; and illegal possession of ammunition. He was sentenced to six years for gang membership; life imprisonment for murder; 15 years for each of the six counts of attempted murder; eight years for the firearm; and three years for ammunition. This brings his total sentence to life plus 107 years, to be served concurrently.
Cloete was found guilty on similar charges (without the firearms and ammunition charges) and sentenced to life plus 96 years, which will also be served concurrently.
Adv. Nicolette Bell, director of public prosecutions in the Western Cape, praised the investigation and prosecution team for their work.
“With this conviction, two extremely dangerous criminals who show no respect for human life have been removed from the community,” Bell said.
She also praised witnesses, including a family member of one of the accused, who were willing to testify despite potential danger.
“Communities can no longer be held by violent gangs. We need people working together to fight this crime and take back our communities.”