- Eben
Basson and Chivargo Fredericks were found guilty of murder in the death of
7-year-old Emaan Solomons, killed in a gang crossfire in February 2020. - Emaan
was shot while playing with friends outside her Ocean View home during
gang violence between the Junky Funky Kids and Taylor Gang. - Cape
Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomed the verdict, calling for a maximum
sentence and reaffirming the City’s efforts to combat gang violence.
It has taken five years for the wheel of justice to turn in the tragic case of Emaan Solomons (7) who died – in gang crossfire – outside her family’s Ocean View home.
On Monday 10 February, the Western Cape High Court found Eben Basson and Chivargo Fredericks guilty of murder and four counts of attempted murder as well as possession of an unlicensed firearm.
The accused stood trial on multiple charges, including murder, four counts of attempted murder, the discharge of a firearm in a public place, possession of an unlicensed firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and aiding and abetting of criminal-gang activity.
At the time of the shooting, Ocean View was reportedly plagued by gang activities and gang-related warfare between the Junky Funky Kids (JFK) and Taylor Gang (TG).
According to court documents, Solomons had joined her playmates for a school ball game in a cul de sac (a street with no through road) outside her family home on Tuesday 25 February 2020.
The sound of children’s laughter echoed in the distance when the piercing sound of gunshots disturbed the idyllic and peaceful setting.
Handing down judgement, Judge Gayaat Da Silva Salie went through the sequence of events on the day of the shooting.
“By all accounts it was an ordinary day, with the children laughing and playing, and the adults going about their usual affairs.
“This peaceful residential scene was starkly disturbed by the penetrating sound of gunshots.”
At the time, children and adults tried to flee, looking for safety and cover, but sadly Emaan had been shot.
“Emaan was shot in her back with the bullet exiting through her chest, and another wound to her left hand. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, but succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead by attending medics.”
The child’s cause of death, as per court documents, was concluded as the result of “a perforating gunshot wound, penetrating the chest with injuries to the heart and liver, complicated by haemorrhages into the chest cavities and heart sac.”
Meanwhile, joining Solomons’ family at the court proceedings last week Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomed the guilty verdict.
“I was relieved to witness the High Court deliver a guilty verdict in the trial of the gangsters responsible for the brutal killing of little Emaan,” he commented.
“No amount of jail time can bring back Emaan, but I hope this sends a message to those gangsters in Cape Town who show no respect for human life, let alone the lives of little children.”
He called for the maximum sentence to be meted out. “The City will make a submission motivating for the court to deliver a sentence that sends a strong message to gangsters. Their actions must be met with the harshest possible consequences at all times.
“Most of all, I am thankful that this family is gaining some measure of justice for the loss of their little one.”
The mayor shared that the City’s goal is to assist police in the fight against gang, gun and drug crime.
“It is families such as Emaan’s who inspire us in our mission to make Cape Town safer, so that no family has to suffer this deep pain of loss in such a tragic way.
“Our promise to the community of Ocean View and Emaan’s family is that our officers will keep working every day to take more illegal guns and drugs off our streets together with (police).”
On social media family friends expressed their relief that justice had finally been served. “Only God knows the feeling when we found out about Emaan’s death five years ago and finally justice has been served.”
