Knoesen faces three mandatory life sentences apart from 15 years in prison for the illegal possession of a weapon and ammunition, he pleaded guilty to earlier in the marathon trial.

Judge Johanne Mthimunye also found Knoesen guilty on three terrorism related charges, namely the preparation and planning of terrorist attacks and mass murder, incitement to acts of terrorism, as well as recruitment of others to carry out the terrorist attacks.

He will appear in court again on Friday for sentencing purposes.

Judge Mthimunye thanked state prosecutor, Advocate Ansie Venter for help offered to Knoesen who indicated that he would like a pre-sentence report compiled, and also agreed to have his medical records subpoenaed by the state.

Judge Mthimunye found that Knoesen was far from joking between December 2018 and his arrest in November 2019, when he advocated for widespread genocide against the African population.

She found that his threats to attack military bases, police stations and malls on Black Friday, to be true.

Judge Mthimunye furthermore said that Knoesen’s brother Ronnie, had incriminated himself through closer involvement with the Crusaders National Christian Resistance Movement on the stand “where he merely attempted to protect his brother”.

Judge Mthimunye found it odd that Knoesen, after the start of his evidence in defense, petitioned the court for immunity for Ronnie.

The judge found Knoesen’s video and audio clips posted to Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram most damning, saying that he only intensified his calls for violence and mass murder after he was blocked from Facebook.

“You changed tactic, asked others to spread your messages when you yourself couldn’t,” the judge said.

The judge found all state witnesses, including a number of Knoesen’s Crusader members, credible while casting doubt on both his and his brother Ronnie’s testimony that the entire “attack-plan” was nothing short of a hoax.

“It was not,” judge Mthimunye said.

She found that Knoesen did, indeed plan to bomb, poison and murder his fellow countrymen.
Two of his accomplices even undertook a recognizance mission to 4SAI on Knoesen’s instructions.

Judge Mthimunye rejected Knoesen’s defense that he planned to stop all his social media propaganda the week after he was arrested.

“Nothing stopped, it just got more intense and urgent”.