Cape Town - A young woman testified in the Western Cape High Court how she was robbed and how, in a tragic turn of events, it also resulted in the death of her father.
Abdur-Rahiem Israel is charged with murder, for allegedly killing Jacobus Pietersen in an incident that involved his daughter, Andrea Pietersen being robbed at gunpoint.
Pietersen and two others, told the court that they were on their way to celebrate her birthday when they encountered Israel at a bus stop in Mitchells Plain.
All three witnesses had the same account of what happened on September 22, 2017 which led to Jacobus being shot. Pietersen said her father died six days after he was admitted to hospital. A post-mortem exam revealed he died of the gunshot wound to the neck.
“He ran after them and then we heard the gunshots. He was lying in the road, then the ambulance came a few minutes later and he was still alive. I didn’t expect that to happen on my birthday, him being shot,” Pietersen said.
The three witnesses had identified Israel in court as the perpetrator. Their version was that, while they were waiting at the bus stop, Israel and a shorter man passed them and gave Pietersen a strange look. They stood there for a few minutes before Israel approached them.
They said when he came towards them, he was holding a firearm in his hand. He pointed the firearm at them, demanding their phones. They handed their phones over and he left.
Having gone through a traumatic experience, they rushed back home and told a family member. At this point Jacobus overheard their account and ran after the perpetrators who were still at large.
State witness, Melissa Fredericks, said as Jacobus pursued the perpetrators, he picked up a brick.
Representing Israel, advocate Nawaal Abdurahman told the court that her client said he was at the bus stop but he had been coming from college that day when he met someone at the bus stop.
Abdurahman said according to Israel, he was mistakenly identified by witnesses because the person he met was wearing the clothing they described, not him. This person also showed him a firearm as they walked away, thereafter Israel said he was hit with a brick on his head, which prompted him to run.
Commenting on her father’s actions, Pietersen said, “He was tired at that point and he thought this has been happening and I’m going to do something about it now.”
The State alleged that Israel was involved in a pattern of criminal gang activity between December 7, 2015 and October 14, 2018 and adopted tattoos which associate him with the gang.
Advocates Luzaan Williams and Christiaan de Jongh represented the State.