Cape Town - The Western Cape High Court sentenced 28-year-old Abdur Rahiem Israel to life imprisonment after he was convicted on two counts of murder and attempted murder in May.
Standing in the dock with a furrowed brow while his mother bitterly wept in the gallery, Israel was sentenced by Judge Elizabeth Baartman to two life terms of imprisonment for the murders of Shahied Salie and Jacobus Petersen.
He was further sentenced to 15 years for aggravated robbery, 15 years for attempted robbery, 10 years for unlawful possession of a firearm, five years for unlawful possession of ammunition, three years for attempted murder and two years for involvement in gangsterism – all of which will run concurrently with the sentences of life imprisonment.
Judge Baartman in May convicted Israel on 19 charges after the State proved that he aided and abetted criminal gang activity in relation to the “Americans” gang for separate incidents that occurred in Mitchells Plain between December 2015 and October 2018.
In handing down judgment Judge Baartman said: “The interest of the community is an important consideration in this matter because the offences were committed in an area commonly associated with high levels of violent crime and criminal gang activity – Mitchells Plain and surrounding areas.”
Baartman said she accepted that Salie was shot because he refused to join the “Americans” gang after his mother testified that when he was killed on April 16, 2018, he had just been released from prison rehabilitated and was willing to change his life with a baby on the way.
Petersen was shot in cold blood in broad daylight in the street.
Baartman referred to the statement of Petersen’s family, explaining that he was a religious father of two, shot on his daughter’s birthday.
“The unprecedented wave of violent crimes has not abated since the legislature was compelled to ordain minimum sentences for certain specific crimes.
“Therefore courts are obliged to impose the prescribed minimum sentence unless to do so would lead to an injustice,” Baartman said.
In considering whether Israel’s circumstances presented a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence, she said: “The accused willingly partook in these heinous crimes. At the time the accused was reasonably educated, had part-time casual work and despite an abusive father, had family support.
“The accused is well spoken and has a pleasant manner. Unfortunately, he chose the criminal path.”
“I have considered whether a sentence of life imprisonment would be unjust in the circumstances of this matter. It is not.
“Mr Petersen was shot in cold blood in broad daylight in the road and Mr Salie was shot and killed for refusing to join a criminal gang,” Judge Baartman said.
Advocates Christiaan de Jongh and Luzaan Williams represented the State while Advocate Nawaal Abdurahman represented the accused.