Some of the accused persons who will reappear in court next year on a range of charges relating to the “Hollanders” gang. Picture: Sandi Kwon Hoo
THE NORTHERN Cape High Court this week heard an appeal from Vincent Rosen, one of the accused in the high-profile “Barney trial” involving alleged members of the “Hollanders gang”. Rosen is challenging the trial court’s decision to deny him bail.
Rosen is among 17 co-accused who are standing trial on 56 charges, including murder, attempted murder, assault, gang activity, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, kidnapping, rape, and public violence.
According to the State, the motive behind these incidents was to secure a monopoly on drug dealing in Roodepan.
Members of the gang are identified by tattoos reading “Barney’s Property” on their faces and arms.
The accused were arrested following acts of suspected gang activity that were committed in Kimberley and Kuruman between August 2020 and February 2023.
Rosen was initially arrested on September 2, 2022, and released on bail of R1,000 in November 2022. He faced seven counts of attempted murder and unlawful possession of firearms. The alleged offences occurred on June 17, 2021, more than a year prior to his arrest, during which time some of the accused had already been appearing in court for nearly a year on charges related to shots fired in a public area.
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Rosen was re-arrested on May 4, 2023, on additional charges of attempted murder and gang-related activities. His bail was denied due to the seriousness of the offences and concerns that he might commit further crimes. Subsequent attempts to secure bail have been unsuccessful.
Judge Albert Nxumalo reserved judgment on Rosen’s appeal in the Northern Cape High Court on Wednesday.
During a previous bail application in 2023, Rosen denied gang affiliation and argued that the State had a weak case against him. He highlighted that the trial could take years to conclude and denied involvement in any of the charges.
Rosen also cited health issues from a motor vehicle accident and complained about overcrowded prison conditions and a lack of medical care.
Meanwhile, the alleged leader of the Hollanders gang, George Barnet “Barney” Peters, in court papers, indicated that he has 12 life partners with whom he shares 24 children.
Some of his life partners are also his co-accused.
Peters stated that he was shot in the chest by a suspected rival gang member, Rodger Johnson, in 2021. He also denied conspiring to kill Johnson.
Johnson was shot outside the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court in December 2020. Several of his associates have also been shot and killed.
Peters added that he was shot in the stomach in Beaconsfield, Kimberley, in August 2021 and continues to suffer from “regular pains”.
Peters said that following the shooting, he relocated to East London with some of his life partners and 14 of his children.
“The ladies who went to stay with me in East London earned an income from doing beauty treatment from our residence,” he said.
Peters relocated to Kuruman following his arrest on charges of attempted murder.
Friction arose between Peters and his head wife, whom he accused of having an affair with the investigating officer. He claimed that one of the children had witnessed them kissing.
During a court appearance she went to the toilet and “never came back”.
Peters accused her of working with the investigating officer to keep him detained after charging him with kidnapping, rape and pushing a knife into her nose.
He also blames her for orchestrating fraudulent policy charges as she handled his finances.
Peters denied being the leader of any gang or that he was involved in any murder, attempted murder or conspiracy to murder or that he ever possessed any firearms or ammunition.