Gang members jailed for life after torturing man over ‘stolen’ firearm

Four members of the Wonder Boys gang have been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of Vinchernico Theron, who was tortured after being falsely accused of stealing a firearm. The court in Cape Town convicted Wayne Jacobs, Thomas van der Merwe, Lee Malan, and Zakier Abrahams of murder and related offenses. Theron was last seen on June 6, 2021, after collecting lunch from his home.

His mother reported him missing two days later, after learning he was allegedly kidnapped. Prosecutors allege that Theron was abducted by the gang members after they wrongly believed he had stolen a firearm from them. Miche Jacobs allegedly instructed gang members to take Theron and Leon Paulse to Wayne Jacobs' house. Theron was subjected to prolonged torture, including boiling water being poured on his burns.

Abrahams and Coetzee later removed Theron's body and disposed of it. The prosecution successfully challenged the accused's alibis, showing that their stories were inconsistent with the evidence presented by the state. The accused were found guilty and sentenced to various lengths of effective life imprisonment.