Hired killer’s testimony puts drug dealer in jail for life

27 Jun 2024

A hitman’s testimony in the Western Cape High Court that resulted in a drug dealer who ordered the murder getting two sentences of life imprisonment, highlights the importance of whistle-blowers.

The testimony of hitman Graham “Gummy” Weber played a vital role in drug dealer Ferlin Arries being handed two terms of life imprisonment for ordering the murder of Will-Carl Booysen, who was “disrupting” his drug business by asking addicts not to buy drugs from him.

Weber committed the murder on 29 September 2016 in Clanwilliam. A day after the shooting, Arries (46) organised a taxi to take Weber back to Cape Town. On the way there, they encountered a roadblock on the N7 highway.

When the taxi stopped, Weber jumped out and ran away. Police shot him, leaving him paralysed.

For his role in the murder, Weber was sentenced to 24 years of imprisonment, with five years suspended.

In September 2023, the Western Cape High Court convicted Arries of incitement to commit murder and of the murder of Booysen. On 20 June, he was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment, to run concurrently.

Weber testified that Arries initially asked Richard Fryer to kill Booysen, promising him R13,000 and drugs. Fryer refused and told Booysen that Arries was planning to murder him.

The court heard that Arries then approached Weber and offered him R30,000 to kill Booysen. Weber visited Clanwilliam several times to scout the small town and asked Harwick “Chicken” Scheepers, a drug dealer for Arries, to identify Booysen and his routes to and from work.

Weber was emotional on the stand and frequently in tears. The State brought in Court Preparation Officer Sophie Petlele, who calmed him and helped the wheelchair-bound witness finish his testimony.

At one point Weber testified: “Uncle Ferlin, you know that we were together in this thing. I stand for my part and now what must I say?”

‘Protect these witnesses’

Kashiefa Mohammed, the spokesperson for the Hanover Park Community Policing Forum (CPF), where gang violence is rampant and three houses were petrol bombed at the weekend, said that while people needed to tell the police about people selling drugs and ordering murders, this could endanger their lives.

“Arries may have received two life sentences and is now behind bars, but he still has powers inside prison. If we look in the Western Cape, most of the hits come from prison,” she said.

Imraahn Mukaddam, a spokesperson for the Elsies River CPF, said, “People who blow the whistle need to know that they have the necessary support and that they can be sure of their safety. It is the State’s responsibility to establish a safe reporting mechanism. Another safe mechanism is a reward system, such as R20,000 … for every gun that SAPS removes from the streets.”

Read more in Daily Maverick: ‘Rule with absolute fear’ – organised crime kingpins target witnesses, detectives to deter investigations

Willem Els, a senior training coordinator at the Institute for Security Studies said the authorities, especially the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), needed people with information about criminal activities to speak out.

“It is very important for the prosecution that when they have a case like this they have to approach the Witness Protection Unit within the NPA,” Els said. DM

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‘Protect these witnesses’