The alleged hitman who the State claims was sent by Ralph Stanfield to murder a State witness says he has an alibi.
Just days before alleged 28s gang boss Stanfield and his wife Nicole Johnson are expected back in court, Jose “Makop” Brandt appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where he applied for bail for the first time.
Brandt was arrested alongside the notorious duo late last year amid an alleged manhunt for a former employee who was accused of stealing over R1 million from Stanfield.
During their bail hearings, the State revealed that Brandt was the alleged gunman who opened fire on the employee at a garage in Brooklyn.
The employee has since turned State witness and went into hiding.
In his affidavit, Brandt claims he was nowhere near Brooklyn, but was at his job in Beacon Valley where he works as a mechanic.
His boss Jonathan Klaasen supplied an affidavit in which he said cops had the “wrong person” and that Brandt was at work at the time of the shooting.
Brandt has also objected to the State’s claims that he was caught on CCTV footage during the shooting, even though he admits he has not yet seen it.
“I vehemently deny these frivolous unsubstantiated claims against me and I will plead not guilty to the charges.”
He says he was arrested on 7 October while at work and claims officers from the Anti-Gang Unit planted bullets in his vehicle.
He has offered R2 000 as bail and the case was postponed to 3 April.