Judge rules against State's evidence in notorious gang murder case

THE State was dealt a blow in the notorious gang murder trial against the Terrible Josters’ alleged gang leader, Elton Lenting, and his 19 co-accused when its application to have a statement admitted as evidence was denied in the Western Cape High Court.

- CHEVON BOOYSEN

A warning statement, which the State sought to have admitted as evidence, by a now-deceased co-accused, was deemed inadmissible by the high court this week.

The statement implicates two of the co-accused. However, Judge James Lekhuleni dismissed the State's application for the admission of the warning statement of deceased Delano Saptoe against accused 3 and 14.

Lenting and his co-accused face a plethora of criminal charges, including murder, attempted murder, possession of illegal firearms and ammunition.