Battle against gang-related crime ‘will be in vain if murder accused gets bail’

Releasing a man accused of a gang murder on bail would go against the battle to eradicate gang-related crime, which had even led to the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), a prosecutor said on Thursday.

“But even since the deployment of the army, it seems it has had no effect on reducing gangsterism,” added Blue Downs Regional Court prosecutor Nathan Adriaanse in a plea that the court keep a suspected gang member behind bars until his trial.

This was during the appearance of Rowan Tromp who is accused of murdering Anvano Solomons in Wesbank, Cape Town, in August.

The 22-year-old allegedly went to Solomons’ house and stood in front of it, calling out his name.

The court heard Solomons was in the bathroom, but his mother told him somebody was outside looking for him.

He went out, and five minutes later he was dead.

Neighbours went and fetched her and walked with her to her son’s body, which was lying in a field. He had been shot in the head.

Tromp is allegedly a member of the Dixie Boys gang.

When the police arrived at the scene of Solomons’ murder, the cartridges had been removed.

All they know so far was that Tromp allegedly grabbed Solomons in a neck hold when he went outside the house, pulled a gun out of his waist, walked him to a field, and shot him dead.

Solomons’ grieving mother said she does not know the identity of the person who called her son.

Tromp had worked as a mechanic for his uncle, Jerome, earning R800 a week before he was arrested.

Adriaanse said gang violence was getting worse and worse, adding Tromp should not be allowed out while awaiting trial.

The case was postponed to September 25 for judgment in his bail application.

It was announced this week that the SANDF would stay in the Cape Town area to support the police for another six months, until March.

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