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FILE | Nafiz Modack in the dock during a previous appearance.
The Presiding Judge in the trial of alleged underworld crime boss, Nafiz Modack, in the Western Cape High Court has lambasted the defense for constant requests for postponements.
Modack’s lawyer, Bashier Sibda, asked for a postponement, citing the unavailability of the witness.
Modack, along with 14 co-accused, face more than 100 charges, including the 2020 murder of the late Anti-Gang Unit Detective, Charl Kinnear.
The matter has been postponed to next week.
Judge Robert Henney warned against further delays.
“Notwithstanding your best efforts and what you’ve done, I don’t think anyone can expect anything more. Mr Modack did not assist you very well in that regard. Ultimately, I will have to make a choice, a hard choice (to) close this case if there’s going to be further delays, because these delays are undue delays. It’s not like we were taken by surprise or Mr Modack didn’t know about the witnesses, but he didn’t play a good card with you with all due respect. So, I am going to be reluctant giving on this postponement. We have a short week next week, three days. We don’t have a witness available for tomorrow from what I’ve been told,” explained the judge.
