Two Junior Mafia gang members sentenced for murder of abalone poacher
Two members of the notorious Junior Mafia gang have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their involvement in the premeditated murder of Cameron Marc Padayachee, an abalone poacher whose life was cruelly cut short when he refused to pay extortion money to the gang.
The Cape Argus reported following an episode of gang violence in Hermanus, the Regional Court found Paul Adams, 33, and Ismail Khan, 25, guilty of murder and offences related to gang activity, stemming from a chilling incident that occurred on December 21, 2021. The act of violence took place in the quiet neighbourhood of Blompark, where Padayachee was gunned down in broad daylight while fixing a vehicle, with his children tragically present inside the car—a scene that has left them “severely traumatised”.
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The court heard through a plea and sentencing agreement that Adams confessed to being a gang member and directly orchestrated Padayachee’s assassination, the Cape Argus reported. He instructed Khan and another accomplice, Renaldo van der Bergh, to carry out the killing following Padayachee’s refusal to comply with gang demands for extortion payments. In a harrowing testimony, it was revealed that after picking up a firearm provided by Adams, Van der Bergh discharged eight shots at Padayachee. During the attack, Khan reportedly shouted phrases that indicated their intent to ensure compliance through fear.
The court definitively condemned their actions. Adams was sentenced to an effective 16 years in direct imprisonment, a decision that consolidates multiple sentences for his gang membership, the murder, and illegal abalone offences. He has also been declared unfit to possess a firearm. Khan received a 20-year sentence, with five of those years suspended, under the condition that he avoids further convictions for serious crimes in the future. He too has lost the right to possess firearms.
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Regional court prosecutor Ilse Keyser articulated the motivations behind the murder, asserting that it was intended to serve as a stark warning to all abalone poachers about the dire consequences of defying the gang’s orders. Keyser highlighted the callous disregard for the safety of Padayachee’s children, who were mere feet away when the bullets flew.
Renaldo van der Bergh is already serving a 30-year prison sentence for his role in the same incident, illustrating the pervasive and insidious nature of gang-related violence in the area.
Advocate Nicolette Bell, the Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, praised the achievements of the prosecution team, emphasising the links between poaching operations and organised crime syndicates. Meanwhile, Eric Ntabazalila, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, noted the alarming intersection of environmental crime with organised criminal networks, which often exploit regulatory weaknesses and enforcement lapses to engage in activities characterised by corruption, violence, and fraud.
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