Alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield and network of 40 co-accused, including former Mayco Member Malusi Booi, are set to go on trial at the same time.
This was revealed at the Cape Town Magistrates Court yesterday, as Stanfield and Booi along with the hele manskap returned to court amid an ever-growing charge sheet.
After more than a year of explosive court hearings, arrests and bail applications, the State is planning to take over 40 people to trial alongside Stanfield for an array of crimes, including murder, fraud, attempted murder, firearm charges and charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca).
Several charges have been amalgamated, including the murder of alleged Hard Livings gang boss Rashied Staggie and a R1 billion tender fraud case.
Stanfield’s legal woes started late last year when he was busted alongside his wife Nicole Johnson at their Constantia home and charged with the attempted murder of a former employee.
It was revealed that the couple along with their henchmen allegedly went on a “witch hunt” after he allegedly stole over R1 million from them.
He has since turned State witness.
At the same time cops also busted Keathon Gardner on firearm-related charges and he appeared with Stanfield in the Wynberg Magistrates Court, where they were granted bail.
The charge sheet later evolved amid the arrests of several alleged members of the Firm Boys gang, who were charged with the murder of slain City of Cape Town staffer Wendy Kloppers, who was gunned down at a housing site in Delft amid extortion attempts.
Booi was busted along with his ex-wife, former girlfriend and former City staff last month.
The group stand accused of colluding with Stanfield and Johnson and accepting gifts worth millions in exchange for government tenders.
But just a day after being released on bail, one of their co-accused, the director of ZSM Developers, Abdul Kader Davids, died in a hail of bullets while walking in Beacon Valley.
It is understood that the case involving Stanfield’s broertjie, Kyle, and mother-in-law, Barbara Johnson, will also be added to the charge sheet, along with 20 other people on firearms-related charges.
Kyle and Barbara are accused of trying to destroy documents relating to Johnson’s construction company ahead of a police raid.
The State called on Magistrate Alida Theart to postpone the case for further investigations as they wrapped up the charged sheet.
Some of the accused had not been brought to court and instead appeared via an online meeting.
The case was postponed to 31 January for further investigations.