Taliep Petersen’s family is shocked by the news one of the accused in the music legend’s murder trial was shot dead – three years ago.
The Weekend Argus learned that Jefferson Tion Snyders, who was convicted on a robbery charge in 2009, had died.
His father said Snyders never wanted to be in the spotlight after he served six years of his 10-year sentence.
And December 16 will mark 14 years since Taliep’s robbery and murder.
The crime, masterminded by Taliep’s wife Najwa Dirk, took place at his Grasmere Street, Athlone, home.
Najwa was found guilty of murder and sentenced in the Western Cape High Court in 2009 to 28 years imprisonment.
Snyders was convicted of a robbery charge for the cash, a cellphone and a video camera that were stolen.
During his testimony, Snyders asked the Petersens for forgiveness, an act of remorse the family accepted.
The news of Snyders's death comes after the family last week released a media statement slamming the Department of Correctional Services for not consulting them in the parole of Abdoer Raasiet Emjedi.
Emjedi, who was sentenced to 24 years for robbery and murder, served 11 years before paroled on November 11.
Taliep’s daughter Jawaahier said she had heard of Snyders’ death but not any details.
Jawaahier said Snyders needs to be viewed differently in life and death: “If we had to compare it, his hands were the cleanest if Najwa and Emjedi’s hands were the dirtiest... Snyders was the cleanest...
“I genuinely and truly believe he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He left the scene before the murder and went to the car when he realised that they were there to murder someone. Murder was never his intention.”
She also voiced her fear that Najwa might be paroled without the family being notified and given an opportunity to oppose her release.
She said: “If the justice system could blindside us with Emjedi’s release and we understand he got amnesty for six months and after 11 years was let out – the possibility exists then that Najwa could be up for parole.
“But I want to say on the record if they think we’re fighting for Emjedi, they’re not ready for the fight we’ll put up for Najwa’s parole.”
Snyders’s dad Peter said he had tried to help his paroled son back on his feet and for a short period, the two worked together on Peter’s recycling business.
But just over a year after gaining his freedom, in 2016 Snyders moved out of his dad’s home in Mitchells Plain.
Peter said this was when his son started making the wrong life choices: “He married Emjedi’s sister and I warned him that it might not be a good idea to marry the sister of the man who was accused alongside you, rather run away from danger now instead of running towards it,” he said.
There was a real concern that Snyders would get involved with drug addicts and known criminals.
Snyders was shot and killed in November 2017.
Weekend Argus