Cop names colleagues 'under influence of Cape Town gangsters'
A senior Cape Town police officer named three high-ranking colleagues on Tuesday who he said are “under the influence” of the alleged gangster accused of a violent takeover of Cape Town nightclub protection rackets.
Colonel Charl Kinnear‚ the investigating officer in the case‚ was giving evidence in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court bail application by Nafiz Modack and four others who have been behind bars since December 15 and face charges of extortion.
Kinnear testified that Cape Town police had to hand back eight firearms confiscated from suspected gangsters in a raid in 2017 on Mavericks strip club‚ in Cape Town city centre.
This was after the head of the police legal services department‚ a Lieutenant-Colonel Grundling‚ failed to oppose an urgent high court application by the owners of the weapons to have them returned.
Kinnear said one of the “security companies” from which some of the firearms were confiscated‚ Eagle VIP Protection‚ was not registered‚ adding that the firearms had already been sent for ballistics tests when Grundling called him to say they would not oppose the urgent application as it would cost R22 000 in legal fees.
“It was the first time ever since I’ve been a detective that legal services would phone and say‚ ‘why would you seize those firearms?’‚” he said.
“I was of the opinion at the time that Grundling was influenced to make such a decision.”
Police raided Mavericks in May after a fight broke out. They confiscated three shotguns‚ five handguns‚ 12 magazines and more than 400 rounds of ammunition.
Kinnear also told the court that Major-General Jeremy Vearey recorded a meeting he had with Modack in May during which Modack claimed to have influence with high-ranking police officials including provincial head of detectives Major-General Patrick Mbotho‚ provincial head of crime intelligence Major-General Mzwandile Tiyo and Northern Cape police commissioner General Risimati Shivuri.
Modack‚ Colin Booysen‚ Ashley Fields‚ Carl Lakay and Jacques Cronje are applying for bail‚ which is opposed by the state. The case continues.