15 August, Edited: Five men accused for the attempted murder of a Kouga municipal councillor in February last year are expected to appear in a Gqeberha court today for what is said to be ‘a high-profile case’.
On Wednesday this week, 13 August, five alleged suspects appeared in the Humansdorp Regional Court on charges of attempted murder of the councillor, Jacque Alexander, and for illegal possession of a fire arm and ammunition
There was extra police presence in the packed court room. Clr Alexander is the DA councillor of Ward 4.
At the back of the court on Wednesday were Kouga mayor, Hattingh Bornman, and the Speaker, Lorraine Maree, and councillors Bryan Dludhlu and Reinhardt Foley.
Magistrate Deidre Dickson, who is still an advocate, recused herself from the court case owing to a conflict of interest and prior insight of the case before the start of the trial. She referred the case to courtroom 14 in the New Law Courts in Gqeberha (PE) for today, 15 August.
The case follows the attack on clr Alexander, who was shot seven times while he was sitting in his vehicle in the parking area of the municipality in Jeffreys Bay.
Quick response of the SAPS and private security companies led to four suspects being arrested and a fifth suspect was arrested later.
When the men first appeared in a Humansdorp court they were refused bail and were sent to St Albans Prison to await trial.
On Wednesday after the referral of the case to PE, clr Alexander spoke with members of the media. He said he was continually surround by bodyguards since the incident. “As a councillor in the community, I could move anywhere at any time before the incident, regardless of how early or late it was,” he said.
He could not say if the attack on his life was political in nature, but said he regularly speaks out in the community against gang violence and drugs. He also said he is in constant pain from the shooting, although all the bullets were removed from his body after two surgeries.
He also mentioned that when he saw the suspects face to face in court, it brought back bad memories of what happened to him, something he never expected in his wildest dreams.
In March last year Clr Alexanders two sons, Asif and Jacquin Ruiters, were shot and wounded at a JBay nightclub. The suspect, Juavandré ‘Varkie’ Louw, aged 23, pleaded guilty to this shooting incident and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
– Info source: court reporter, Anthony Augustus.
NB Note: 15 Augusts update: The Gqeberha Regional Court has set a trial date for this case for 24-28 November.
St Francis Chronicle 