Cape Town - A 27-year-old Mongrels gang member accused of shooting and injuring a 7-year-old girl from Parkwood appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Brandon Baron made his first appearance alongside two men from a rival gang who were allegedly involved in an initial violent incident that led to the shoot-out at Moosa Walk in Parkwood.
Nasiegha Williams was struck by a bullet while she was playing with her friends at her aunt’s home. Baron was allegedly shooting at the rival gangs when stray bullets hit the Grade 2 Parkwood Primary School pupil.
He has been charged with attempted murder after the two bullets hit Nasiegha in the back and damaged her kidney and spine.
Nasiegha’s father, Jacques Isaacs, said they were told by the doctor that their daughter won’t be able to walk again. Isaacs, who was in the court where the man who shot his daughter appeared, said Nasiegha was in a lot of pain and that her mother Nadeema was by her side at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.
Isaacs said he and Nadeema were taking turns to care for her at the hospital. An operation was scheduled on Tuesday to remove the bullets from her kidney and spine.
The court gallery was packed with community members who came out in support of the Williams family, calling for justice to be served. They described Nasiegha as a cheerful little girl with a strong personality who had a bright future ahead of her.
The case was postponed to May 24 for further investigations and Baron and his co-accused remain in custody.