High drama as ‘Barney trial’ begins

HIGH drama unfolded in the Northern Cape High Court this week at the start of the trial of George “Barney” Peters, along with other alleged members of the “Hollanders gang”.

Peters and his co-accused — Britney Arends, Stephanie McAnda, Simone Rose, Chinaaz Mentoor, Abigail van Wyk, Chane Adams, Michael Peters, Clive Peters, Deon May, Pamerston Mentoor, Henry Blom, Vincent Rosen, Tshepo Malambi, Nico Hofuza, and Shawn Smith — are facing 117 charges, including murder, attempted murder, gang activity, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, discharge of a firearm in a built-up area, public violence, money laundering, racketeering, defeating the ends of justice, assault, kidnapping, fraud, and dealing in drugs.

According to a death certificate that was handed in, accused Thabo Sekapano, who previously sustained a head injury after being shot, died of natural causes on August 12 while in prison.

Following several interruptions, the co-accused requested that Peters be banned from court proceedings.

Peters, in turn, asked that his wives — who are among the accused — “speak of him respectfully”.

He also indicated that he did not wish to travel back to the correctional facility in the same vehicle as one of the co-accused.

He told the court that, as a chronic diabetic, he could not be without food for too long and claimed that he had been assaulted in prison.

Peters pointed out that he had no tattoos or markings.

“If I was a gang leader, why do I not own money, big houses, or cars? I rely on grant money. I had nothing to do with the death of children,” he said.

Judge Almé Stanton warned the accused that if he continued to interrupt the trial, she would not hesitate to proceed without him being present in court.

She also cautioned members of the public that she would not tolerate further outbursts after a woman in the gallery burst into tears and loudly slapped the bench, exclaiming: “Can this just be over!”

Barney cites conspiracy against him

In an 18-page handwritten letter read out in court by his legal representative, Peters accused an investigating officer — a captain — and one of his wives of conspiring to have him arrested on charges of rape and kidnapping in January 2023.

“While she denied that she was having an affair with the captain, I saw messages on her cellphone confirming my suspicions. I also saw a video of them dancing together.

“The children told me that they were given new clothes and were allowed to drink alcohol, although they were underage, in order to keep them silent.”

He added that he had visited his now estranged wife in Kuruman with some of his other wives and children.

“One of my wives told me that she had a boyfriend and that all my other wives also had boyfriends. They named the captain as being a boyfriend of my wife.

“Everything became too much. I said I was sorry for what I was about to do. I told everyone that I no longer wanted her in my life. Enough was enough. I know the type of woman that she was.”

He stated that he had lived with his estranged wife and family since the age of 16.

“I was accustomed to her being away from the house to stay with one of her boyfriends. She left her young children in my care.”

Peters indicated that he was a “God-fearing man”.

“I live life in truth and I do not do what is wrong. The captain was enraged when I was granted bail. He was bitter, irrational, and angry.”

Chaos and mayhem unleashed at police station

SAPS official Constable Daniel Mogomosi testified that the accused arrived at the police station in “fighting mode”, where he swore at him, other police officers, as well as his mother, in 2020.

“Peters asked me if I thought that I was clever. He received a knife from one of his friends and wanted to stab me. All of the accused took branches from a tree and pelted us,” he said.

He added that Peters resisted arrest and tried to leave the police yard.

“He was not co-operating — he was using vulgar language and threatened to kill me. With the assistance of police officers, we managed to take possession of the knife and booked him into the cells.”

Peters’ legal representative, advocate Vasiliki Patrinos, stated that her client had merely visited the Roodepan police station to enquire about his brother, Christopher Peters, who had been arrested.

“He drove in a ‘kombi’ with some of his wives, children, and friends. He was unarmed and had no intention to cause any trouble or do anything unlawful.”

She added that her client experienced “great pain” at the battles that his children were subjected to.

“He was diagnosed with a type of memory loss. He was humiliated when he was arrested while dropping his children off at school.”

Patrinos suggested that Mogomosi was antagonistic towards Peters because he was seeing one of Peters’ girlfriends.

Mogomosi said he had no knowledge of this allegation.

The case has been set down for the next three weeks.