Alleged 28s gang leader Ralph Stanfield and his wife, Nicole Johnson, are both experiencing health issues in prison, according to revelations in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court.
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The pair have both reported health issues due to inadequate care at Pollsmoor Prison.
Standfield and Johnson, along with Johannes ‘Bal’ Abrahams and Denver Booysen, were arrested by the SAPS Anti-Gang Unit over a week ago at their Constantia residence and charged with motor vehicle theft, fraud and robbery. Standfield faces additioal charges, including attempted murder.
All four defendants were also charged under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca), while Jose Brand, another accused, abandoned his bail application.
During the court proceedings, Stanfield’s attorney explained that his client’s upbringing in a disadvantaged environment in Mitchells Plain led him to become an entrepreneur in the construction sector, where he earned a monthly income of R40,000, reports IOL.
The court heard that, due to a 2017 assassination attempt in Johannesburg, where he sustained multiple gunshot wounds, Stanfield now faces respiratory difficulties and lacks access to his specialised medical equipment while in Pollsmoor Prison.
Johnson’s legal representative revealed in a separate statement to the court that Pollsmoor nurses have been refusing to treat her since her incarceration.
Also read: Alleged CT gang boss and wife arrested on charge of motor vehicle theft
During their initial court appearance, it was revealed that Johnson had undergone surgery the day prior to her arrest and was facing challenges in her recovery process. The attorney also highlighted that a report from a social worker regarding the wellbeing of their two children, aged 15 and 17, supported Nicole’s eligibility for bail.
Defence Advocate Ross McKernan informed the court that, as the owner of two Sorbet salons, Johnson had a monthly income of R97 000 and expressed concern over the financial strain on her businesses due to the inability to pay staff.
State prosecutor Frank van Heerden has requested a postponement to allow the investigating officer to examine the claims made in the couple’s affidavits, but the defence attorney opposed van Heerden’s request, citing their consistent attendance at court proceedings in a different matter over the years and the defendants’ established track record of not being a flight risk.
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