Shocking details of just how deeply gangsters have infiltrated the police force have emerged following a recent judgement in the Western Cape High Court.
The verdict by Judge Daniel Thulare has sent shockwaves through the underworld as various dik dinge skarrel for information about who exactly is being linked to the claims that the 28s gang smokkeled with high-ranking cops, and even obtained access to classified documents of crime intelligence and the anti-gang unit.
This comes amid a bail appeal by two members of the Mobsters gang, namely Elcardo Adams and Alfonso Cloete, who along with 12 other bandiete are being hit with various charges involving the murder of Hampshire “Hempie” Brown in February 2018.
Adams has denied claims by the State that he drove the killers on the night Hempie was killed, or that he gave the gunmen behind the October 2019 shooting at Galaxy nightclub the weapons to carry out a hit on Hempie’s cousin, Johan Brown.
Johan was shot twice in the head but survived. According to the judgement, Hempie was the leader of the Horribles gang, and his son Corne and Johan were later targeted by the Mobsters.
The judgement states that after Cloete made a confession to the cops, Adams (accused 1) planned to poison him on November 5, 2021 when the group appeared at the high court.
Thulare said: “The State’s case was that he [Adams]would have injected accused 2 with poison at the High Court when he was next to him, after he [Adams]realised that the confession made by accused 2 was captured on video footage, and corroborated the two section 204 witnesses.”
Adams also allegedly instructed that the two investigating officers be killed for “targeting the Mobsters”.
According to the testimony of a State witness, whose name is being withheld, cops from Mfuleni, Blue Downs and Beaufort West had helped the Mobsters transport drugs.
“V [State witness] mentioned Van Schalkwyk at Mfuleni, Geduld at Blue Downs, who even used to transport drugs with the police truck to prison, and a captain at Beaufort West, known as Baard.”
Investigations revealed that three 204 witnesses were killed after the gang was informed of who made statements to the police.
“The gang called them traitors and scavengers. They were killed even before the cases were enrolled. The other 204 witnesses went into hiding.”
Thulare said the gang was so well protected by corrupt cops that even the army sold firearms to them.
“The corrupt police protection and assistance included transportation of its drugs from court to prison, the betrayal of rival gangs and their exposure to death and leaking of information from police-planned activities, strategies and tactics to deal with gangs.
“These allegations, including the involvement of members of the army in selling arms and ammunition to the gang, which arms are used in the killings, rape and robbery of other people to advance the aims, objectives and the hegemony of the 28s gang in general and the Mobster gang in particular, surely created a sense of shock and outrage to the law-abiding members of the South African society, especially in the Western Cape.”
Thulare said there was evidence that the gang had infiltrated cops at all levels.
“This includes penetration of and access to the sanctity of the reports by specialised units like the anti-gang unit and crime intelligence, to the provincial commissioner.”
SAPS national spokesperson, major-general Mathapelo Peters, says they are still studying the judgement, which was delivered on October 17.
He added: “Any member who makes him or herself guilty of transgressing the law exposes themselves to investigation and criminal prosecution and/or disciplinary proceedings if this is warranted on the facts of the matter.”