Matric pupil shot 12 times for gang Instagram like

An alleged Wentworth gangster was emotionless when Durban regional court magistrate Ferial Seedat found him guilty of fatally shooting matric pupil Leyton Fynn 12 times in June last year.

Fynn’s life was cut short in the south Durban suburb while on his way to attend winter holiday classes at Wentworth Secondary School on June 27, after he liked a “gang-related” Instagram post.

Casually dressed in a tracksuit and Adidas sandals, Dondre Addison, 19, facing an attempted murder case in a separate matter, was identified as Fynn’s shooter by two eyewitnesses, including one who testified in camera because he feared for his life.

Seedat said Addison was implicated by the two state witnesses including Jose Dryman, 25, who knew Addison for more than five years. 

“The court finds the accused was properly identified and there is also no hostility between the accused and the state witnesses. There is also no evidence to suggest the two accused were not being honest,” said Seedat.

While she was concerned the investigating officer Sgt Ntuthuko Cele didn’t have proper records of some of the evidence, Seedat felt it was unlikely the police officer with 16 years’ experience had fabricated information. 

She noted his difficulty in bringing Fynn’s killer to court as some witnesses were too scared to testify.

Seedat said: “When the investigation officers could not find Addison at his granny’s house, he tasked intelligence and informers to try to find him. Some neighbours in Wentworth declined to testify.”

Prosecutor Carlson Govender brought an application to have the second witness' testimony in camera because of death threats.

Seedat found the witnesses were clear, forthright and corroborated each other.

She said they had proper recollections of the incident despite being uncomfortable with testifying.

“Dryman fared well under the rigorous cross-examination by the defence,” said Seedat.

She said the witness who testified in camera recounted Fynn’s last moments at Addison’s hands, having heard a heated confrontation over an Instagram post. He tried to intervene and asked Addison to leave the pupil alone.

He said after the shooting he did not report the matter to the police, fearing “corruption” at the station, nor did he look at Fynn’s lifeless body because he feared the extent of his gunshots would give him nightmares.

Emotions ran high as Seedat went through the details of Fynn’s gunshot wounds.

Addison, who pleaded not guilty, claimed he was not at the crime scene and was woken up by someone who told him he was being sought for Fynn’s murder.

He said after hearing this he left his granny and cousin in Wentworth to go to his mother's, but instead he went to a cousin’s house in the Bluff.

He told court he ran away because he had recently been released from prison and was “too scared”.

A muffled chorus of jubilation rang out in court from Fynn’s family, who wore green shirts bearing Fynn’s face, when Seedat found Addison guilty of murder.

A visibly distraught Tyrone Fynn sobbed at regular intervals.

“I am grateful for the verdict. For now I just want this boy to face the full wrath of the law for the senseless killing of my son. His inflicted so much pain,” said his father.

Fynn’s sister's Shanon Frank said they were relieved by the guilty verdict.

“I feel a bit of relief, but it will not bring back my brother. My brother was a harmless child. He never retaliated and he also never said a word,” said Frank.

She said the passing of her brother had also left a huge void in their lives. 

“Not a day goes by without us thinking about him. My brother had ambitions of being an accountant. He was always stuck in his books or else he was at church,” said Frank.

“Basically my brother had no chance. I mean, so many bullets. What also pains us is the lack of remorse from Addison’s family. They have also made it seem as if he did not do anything.”

She hoped he would receive a hefty sentence.

Seedat adjourned the matter to January 31 for pre-sentencing reports.