Gangster sentenced to three life terms for triple murder in Cape Town

A triple-murder gangster will serve three life terms after being convicted and sentenced in the Parow Regional Court, Cape Town this week. 

Duran Lee Fourie, a member of the Bad Boys gang in Uitsig, will serve concurrent life terms after being declared unfit to possess a firearm.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said Fourie was successfully prosecuted by the state for the premeditated murders of Colin Simons, Hadley Williams, and Jayden Jantjies. 

Two of the deceased were alleged to have been affiliated to the Fancy Boys gang and were targeted in a rival shooting.

Regarding the murder incident on 26 September 2023, it was the State’s case that the accused and two unidentified males, who were all armed, approached the deceased as they were standing outside Mimosa Court, Uitsig, and without warning, started firing at them. 

“The deceased attempted to run away in different directions but were each struck by bullets and fell. Regional court prosecutor Earl Edward Koopman called three state witnesses, two knew the accused, and they all corroborated that the accused and the unidentified males came around a corner armed and without warning started shooting at the deceased.

“One of the witnesses further testified that Fourie advanced towards the deceased while they were lying on the ground and fired more shots at close range, finishing them off. He also picked up a firearm from one of the deceased, who had earlier returned fire. The witnesses testified that they had an unobstructed view of the accused, which allowed them to positively identify him on the day of the shooting,” said Ntabazalila.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said the sentence was welcomed by the Western Cape police management who lauded the investigating officer for a case well-presented before court and the prosecution team in assuring that justice has been served.

"The investigation into the matter was handed over to Detective Sergeant Oktober of the Anti-Gang Unit who started his investigation and gathered witnesses and evidence and presented a well prepared case before court. He proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused, Duran Fourie was indeed responsible for the deaths of these men," said Twigg. 

At trial, Fourie pleaded not guilty on all four charges and provided an alibi that on the day of the incident, he was with his girlfriend when he heard shots, and he went to investigate.

“While there, he received a telephone call informing him that his grandmother was unwell, whereupon he left the area and travelled to Delft. Koopman poked holes in his alibi during cross-examination, which revealed several material contradictions and inconsistencies in his story. The court rejected his alibi as false, as it found it unreliable.

“To further strengthen the State’s case, Koopman called a ballistic expert who confirmed that cartridge cases recovered from the scene had been discharged from three different firearms, consistent with the witnesses’ accounts that three different persons fired shots during the incident,” said Ntabazalila.

In its evaluation, the court found that the state witnesses were credible and reliable, with their testimonies corroborating each other and supported by the ballistic evidence. 

The court accepted the State’s case that the accused had acted in common purpose with the unidentified males in killing the deceased and that he had been in unlawful possession of a firearm.

Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Nicolette Bell applauded the investigating and the prosecution team for ensuring a successful prosecution and justice for the families of the deceased and the community of Uitsig. 

chevon.booysen@inl.co.za