Speculation is rife that it was a teenager, or a man nicknamed "Doughnut", who shot Pastor Albern Martins.
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Speculation is rife that it was a teenager, or a man nicknamed “Doughnut”, who shot Pastor Albern Martins, and although many sources suggested yesterday that someone had been arrested, this was denied by the police.
Martins died after being shot in the head outside the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court at about 9am on Friday as he arrived to appear on charges of abalone smuggling.
Other suggestions were that he was shot to silence him as he prepared to turn State witness.
Late yesterday, police spokesman Colonel Tembinkosi Kinana told Weekend Argus he spoke to the detective involved in the case, “and they have not been able to verify an arrest as of yet”.
Community Safety MEC Dan Plato also confirmed hearing rumours of an arrest, but said he could not confirm whether it was true.
Pastor Ivan Waldeck, Martins’ close friend who worked with him for the past 20 years, said he has heard of Doughnut.
Meanwhile, the alleged leader of the Wonder Kids gang from Factreton, Christopher “Ougat” Patterson, has lashed out at youngsters for killing his friend, indicating he also believed a teenager could have been involved.
“This person was used by other people.
“The kids of today don’t care if they kill the Pope, a pastor or a kid. They have no respect or discipline,” he declared.
Martins, a former gangster, earned his reputation as a gang pastor by arranging peace deals among rival gangs, and overseeing more than 200 gang funerals.
Last year, Martins was one of a number of pastors trying to end a gang war which swept across the Cape Flats.
Yesterday Martins’ family spokesman Aaron Messeler said they were still in mourning, but were doing “fine”.
Waldeck said a funeral was being planned, and was likely to be held next Saturday. As many as 2 000 people were expected to attend.
“People from all over have called me. Big bosses in the police, MECs, church communities, children, adults, the media - everyone is calling me. My phone has been ringing so much it’s running out of battery all the time,” Waldeck said. - Sunday Argus