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A self-confessed gangster serving life in prison for the murder of a Cape Town Metro Police officer who was going to testify against him, got another 12 years on Wednesday for killing a rival gangster in Goodwood Prison.
In May, Christopher Jantjies was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Ben Koopman, who was gunned down outside his house in Eerste River in February 2016.
At first, nobody wanted to testify because they were too terrified of Jantjies' gang connections.
READ: Gangster who killed Cape Town metro cop over court testimony gets life in prison
Koopman was supposed to have been a witness in a case against the Dixie Boys gang that Jantjies belonged to. When he was shot, witnesses heard his assailants shout: "I told you I will get you!"
Eventually the State secured enough testimony and evidence to have Jantjies convicted and put behind bars.
He was sentenced to life in prison for Koopman's murder, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, 15 years for possession of an unlicensed firearm, and five years for possession of ammunition.
While he was awaiting trial for the murder of Koopman, he had become involved in a massive jail house brawl between rival sides of the "numbers" gangs that operate in prison.
READ: Fruit vendor gangster found guilty of killing Cape Town cop
In the plea and sentencing agreement endorsed by the Parow Regional Court on Wednesday, he stated that he was a member of the 26s gang, and he became involved in a brawl with the 28s gang as part of ongoing fights between the two groups over drugs and assaults.
'My intention was to kill any member of the 28s gang'
During the fight on June 12, 2017, a 28s gang member hit a 26s gang member on the head with a pool ball in a sock, Jantjies wrote in his plea agreement.
He said he then hit Xolosile Manjezi from the 28s gang until he fell on the ground, and then hit him repeatedly with a steel table.
"My intention was to kill any member of the 28s gang in retaliation to their attack on members of my gang," stated Jantjies in his plea.
Manjezi died as a result of blunt force trauma to his head and chest, the pathologist's report stated, adding that some of his ribs were also broken and he had sustained damage to his brain.
According to the pathologist's report, Manjezi had the number 28 among the tattoos on his body, which also included a tattoo of a face and a crown.
Also inked on Manjezi's body were the words: "Sorry Mum Zulu Boy".
Jantjies is 29 and the father of one child. He went as far as Grade 9 in school, according to the sentencing agreement.
For the "brutal" and "callous" murder of Manjezi, he was sentenced to 12 years, plus five years for belonging to a gang, which is a violation of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
They will run concurrently to his sentence for the murder of Koopman.
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