In a significant ruling aimed at addressing gang violence in the Western Cape, the High Court has sentenced two members of the notorious Junky Funky Kids (JFK) gang to lengthy prison terms for the tragic killing of seven-year-old Emaan Solomons. The child’s life was cut short during a brutal gang altercation that erupted in her neighbourhood in 2020.
The fatal incident unfolded on 25 February 2020, when Eben Basson and Chivargo Fredericks, both associated with the JFKs gang, unleashed gunfire in pursuit of a rival from the Taylor Gang. Emaan, who had been playing with friends outside her home after school, was struck by stray bullets. The Grade 1 pupil died on the scene, a heartbreaking reminder of how innocent lives are often caught in the crossfire of violent territorial disputes.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Western Cape spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, the pair was convicted earlier this year.
“The killers, Eben Basson and Chivargo Fredericks of the Junky Funky Kids (JFKs) gang, were convicted in February for the 2020 shooting that claimed the life of the Grade 1 learner, who was hit by stray bullets during a turf war in her street.”
In sentencing the two men, Judge Gayaat Da Silva Salie acknowledged the severe nature of the crime, although she did not impose the life sentences requested by the State. While deviating from the prescribed minimum term, she weighed the fact that the offenders were first-time convicts and had already spent five years in custody awaiting the outcome of their trial.
Despite this, the court handed down strict penalties. Basson and Fredericks each received:
- 22 years for murder,
- Five years for each of the four attempted murders, and
- Eight years for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
However, all sentences will run concurrently, resulting in 35 years of direct imprisonment for each.
