Craig James Painter

Craig James Painter (1963 - 2001)

Brief overview:

Craig (38), was shot in the back at close range in October 2001. He bled to death in his home on the Doornrantjies holdings while household items such as televisions, video, audio and computer equipment were driven away in Moyo's bakkie.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
• Weapons
• Items Stolen
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
  • DR2159/2001
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
• Arrests
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction
  • A Zimbabwean man who was caught red-handed with a wagonload of household goods near a farm murder was found not guilty of the farmer's murder in the Pretoria High Court.
  • Silendaba Moyo (36) was also found not guilty of robbery and the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
  • Judge Dion Basson found him guilty of theft on Wednesday and sent him to prison for five years.
  • The state argued that Moyo, who has permanent residency in South Africa, and his accomplices who fled the farm had the same plan: to kill Mr. killing and robbing Craig James Painter (37).
  • The judge found that this was not proven beyond reasonable doubt. The state could not prove Moyo knew in advance that the other men were armed. He was not around when Painter was shot. According to passers-by's testimony, he was standing by his bakkie on a neighbor's farm when the shots rang out. No gunpowder residue was found on his hands.
  • Basson rejected Moyo's version that he was only hired to remove the load of household items. The judge accepted evidence that Moyo and his accomplices watched Painter's house for about two days. According to the judge, he was in cahoots with the other men to steal Painter's property. Moyo was the driver of the getaway vehicle and should have known his accomplices had no legitimate business there.
  • In his sentence, Basson said theft is very serious, especially because this crime is so commonly committed.
  • Moyo also showed no remorse. In addition to his prison sentence, Basson forfeited Moyo's bakkie to the state.

Additional Biographical Information:

• Identity Number : 6303165147085
• Official cause of death : Unnatural (DR2159/2001)
• Craig married Janine (born Millar) on 03/10/1992
• https://www.gendatabase.com/deceased-record.php?q=2560491&r=CRAIG%2...

Links to Media articles:

• https://archive.ph/hgF5D