Five charged with attempted murder of lawyer William Booth

Five people appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday for the alleged attempted murder of well-known criminal lawyer William Booth.

They were arrested on 6 May after police released pictures of suspects wanted in connection with the attempted murder of Booth, 65, while he was at his home in April.

In the images, two men were pictured with descriptors, including an “ostentatious” pinkie ring and Kappa clothing, according to police.

A picture of a Hyundai Credo with temporary paper number plates on a window of the car was also circulated in the search for them.

The images are understood to have been pulled from some of the CCTV cameras in the area on the lower slopes of Table Mountain a few days prior to the shooting incident.

Riyaad Gasant, Kim Smith, Kauther Brown, Igsaan Williams and Ibrahim Deare were squashed together in the dock on Monday.

They face charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to murder and five charges of the alleged violation of Covid-19 Disaster Management Act regulations.

The court heard that Brown has five children who are dependent on her. She had no previous or pending cases.

Smith has three children who depend on her, and has paid two R500 fines relating to drug offences.

The magistrate postponed the matter to Friday.

They will remain in custody. None of the usual groups of family and friends were allowed inside.

Booth, 65, was shot at while he was in his garage in Higgovale in the Cape Town city bowl on 9 April. He was unharmed.

Booth is a veteran in Cape Town legal circles, with his clientele including Guatemalan Diego Novella, who was found guilty of the murder of Gabriela Kabrins Alban in 2018.

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