WESTERN CAPE. – Wayne Jacobs, Thomas van der Merwe, Lee Malan and Zakier Abrahams of the Wonder Boys gang have been sentenced to life imprisonment. They were convicted of the torture and murder of Vinchernico Theron, whom they falsely accused of stealing a firearm.
Eric Ntabazalila, NPA spokesperson, says Theron was last seen on six June 2021. His mother, Charmaine Curtis, reported him missing at the Mitchells Plain police station two days later, after learning that he had been abducted. Miche Jacobs allegedly ordered gang members to take Theron and Leon Paulse to Wayne Jacobs's house on Drakenstein Street, Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain. The two men were tortured there over an extended period. Paulse was later released after his father intervened and pleaded for his release.
Theron was repeatedly burnt with boiling water. The court heard that Miche Jacobs repeatedly boiled water for those who carried out the assault. According to testimony, Abrahams at one stage tore skin from Theron's severely burnt stomach. As Theron's condition deteriorated, Veronica de Jongh according to the NPA said he should be killed because he was already close to death. Abrahams and Keenan Coetzee then removed Theron from the house and handed him over to Jonathan Beukes and Faizel Manuel. According to testimony, they placed him in a wheeled metal bin and disposed of his body. Theron's remains have never been found.
Jaden Abrahams was sentenced to 25 years direct imprisonment, while Coetzee effectively received 22 years. Miche Jacobs was sentenced to 20 years and De Jongh to 12 years imprisonment. Beukes and Manuel were acquitted on charges of murder, two counts of kidnapping and assault with intent to cause serious bodily harm. They were however found guilty of defeating the ends of justice and each sentenced to effectively eight years direct imprisonment.
The accused pleaded not guilty and advanced various alibis. The court however found their versions to be false and improbable.
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
