Yesterday afternoon, Friday 20 June, Dustin Kramer, Deputy General Secretary of the Social Justice Coalition (SJC), received the following text message:
“Mr Kramer u have 3 days to force angy and Isaac to admit that they killed and murded rowan. That is if u still luv your job and u still want to come to Khayelitsha hassle free”
The trial of Angy Peter and Isaac Mbadu – longstanding activists and employees of the SJC – is currently underway at the Western Cape High Court. Both are charged with the murder and kidnapping of Rowan du Preez who was necklaced and later died in October 2012.
Since the charges were first laid against Peter and Mbadu they have always maintained their innocence. According to Peter and Mbadu they are being framed for exposing corrupt police. For years Peter was the public face of the SJC’s criminal justice campaign and in particular the Commission of Inquiry into Policing in Khayelitsha.
The source of the threat is not known at present. We also do not know whether the intention may be to create an environment of uncertainty due to a personal grudge or any other matter.
If the threat is legitimate however, it is a brazen attempt to intimidate the organisation’s leadership and defeat the ends of justice in a murder trial.
We are taking the threat extremely seriously at this stage. Mr Kramer has opened a case of intimidation with the SAPS and it is being brought to the attention of the Western Cape High Court.
[ENDS]
For comment please contact:
Dustin Kramer
083 674 0552
Phumeza Mlungwana
074 417 8306