-
The High Court in Cape Town.
A heavy police presence is expected at the High Court in Cape Town, when two major underworld trials are expected to resume on the same day, on Monday.
The trial of alleged underworld figure and murder-accused, Nafiz Modack, is set to continue.
Modack and fourteen others face over a hundred charges including the murder of anti-gang unit detective, Charl Kinnear in September 2020.
They also face charges of attempted murder after defence attorney, William Booth, was shot at in the same year.
Related Video | Nafiz Modack | State alleges a link to attempted murder of lawyer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxK6ZfIzBUo
Meanwhile, the trial of alleged underworld crime boss Jerome Booysen and 11 co-accused is also expected to resume. They face charges relating to the murder of the steroid smuggler, Brian Wainstein in 2017, and charges related to the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
There will be a heavy police presence inside and outside the Western Cape High Court as two trials, involving alleged underworld figures from rival groups are set to resume.
Tight security in these proceedings has been one of the key elements of the trials, with members of the Anti-Gang Unit ensuring safety inside and outside the court.
Alleged underworld crime bosses, Nafiz Modack and Jerome Booysen are the two central figures in these cases.
Related Video | Jerome Booysen, co-accused case postponed to January.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z83UgS6w5G4
The State has presented evidence which it says, links Modack and two of his associates with the attempted murder of prominent criminal defence attorney, William Booth.
And the murder of the father of a former Hawks Warrant Officer, who was investigating Modack.
The state has argued that Modack was the mastermind behind the attack on Booth and the murder of Nicolaas Heerschap.
The state argued that Modack used his co-accused Zane Killian to ping Booth’s cellphone and instructed his bodyguard to arrange with a state witness known as Mr. A to order a hit on Booth.
The state also alleges that Modack orchestrated an assassination attempt on another alleged underworld figure Andre Naude. And that he plotted to murder Booysen, Booth, the now deceased Mark Lifman and top cop Charl Kinnear. Advocate Greg Wolmarans, State Prosecutor.
“Not only the target of Mr. Naude. It also links to Donkie, Jerome Booysen. There is a clear indication that Mr. A is getting his information from someone. If the direction is not coming from you of the attack on Naude, with links to Jerome Booysen, is it a coincidence that these people are the people that you are having issues with or is it part of the conspiracy?”
Meanwhile, the defence in the Booysen matter is expected to cross-examine a section 204 witness known as Mr. X.
Mr. X has told the court that the conspiracy to kill steroids smuggler, Brian Wainstein, began a month before his death.
It was allegedly led by Booysen and his associate, Kamal Naidoo, because they wanted to take over his steroids business.
The court has heard that Wainstein had control of the steroids market in the Western Cape and that another alleged underworld kingpin, Ralph Stansfield, had been his associate. Nathan Adriaanse, state prosecutor.
“We intend on calling section 204 witnesses that we were allegedly part of the gangs at the time that this indictment had played out. We intend on using those witnesses to explain the court the exact and precise meanings of certain languages that is being used as a tool of communication.”
The court still has to decide on the admissibility of Mr. X’s testimony about intercepted phone calls of Booysen and other suspects.
