On Wednesday, 24 February 2021, justice was served on two gang affiliates who were sentenced in the Port Elizabeth High and the Regional courts for their respective criminal misconduct. A third gang member will be sentenced on 25 February 2021, in respect of his crime.
Marvin Thomas (32) a gang member was sentenced in the Port Elizabeth High Court on several charges which included murder, attempted murder (x3), illegal possession of a firearm and for illegal possession of ammunition.
On Saturday, 11 January 2020 at about 15:45, Anti-Gang Unit members were patrolling in Gelvandale when they heard gunshots being fired close by. As they approached a four-way stop they spotted a male shooting down Reginald Rd. They got out and the suspect started firing at them. They returned fire injuring him in his groin.
A firearm (partial serial number) was seized. While they were still busy at this scene, they were informed that a 50-year-old woman was fatally wounded in Reynecke Street. Sharon Dageford from Libra Street was struck in her cheek. It was later established that Thomas’s bullet struck Dageford who was walking in the street.
Thomas was sentenced in the Port Elizabeth High court to 25 years imprisonment for murder, 5 years each on 3 counts of attempted murder, 15 years for illegal possession of firearm and 3 years for illegal possession of ammunition. The sentences will run concurrent to the murder sentence. Effectively, he will serve 25 years in prison
Gang affiliate, Shadwin Walton (34) was sentenced in the Port Elizabeth Regional court to a total of 8 years imprisonment for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. On 29 October 2016, at 20:35, police attended a murder on the corner of Eucomus and Independence Streets in Ext. 36 in Bethelsdorp.
While the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation detectives were still processing the crime scene, information was received that the firearm used in the murder was at a house in Eucomus Street Bethelsdorp. The said address was immediately searched and two firearms were recovered. Walton was arrested with one firearm while the second firearm was found in a washing machine.
At the time of his arrest, he was out on parole of 18 years for rape and the sentence would have been completed in 2025. Walton will now serve his remaining sentence for rape and his 8 years on the illegal possession of firearm and ammunition will not run concurrently with serving sentence. He will serve his new sentence on completion of his sentence in 2025.
Justin van Aswegen (28), a gang member will know his fate on 25 February 2021 after he was found guilty of illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition in the Port Elizabeth Regional court on 24 February 2021. On 24 February 2019, PE K9 unit members arrested Van Aswegen when they stopped and searched him in William Slammert Drive in Bloemendal.
The Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Liziwe Ntshinga applauded the investigating officers in these cases as well as the prosecuting authority for ensuring that those involved in criminal gang activities are removed from society.
