Alleged underworld kingpin, Nafiz Modack, has accused the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) of trying to persuade him to drop charges against high-ranking cops.
The latest allegation comes amid a tense week of court proceedings centred on allegations made by Modack against slain Anti-Gang Unit detective, Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear, and former head of detectives, Major-General Jeremy Vearey.
Modack is accused of orchestrating the murder of Kinnear.
He currently on trial at the Western Cape High Court where, along with 14 others, he faces various charges including a grenade attack on Kinnear’s Bishop Lavis home and the botched hit on criminal attorney William Booth.
Over the past few months, Modack’s claims that he had corrupted Vearey and Kinnear by paying them to return his confiscated firearms have been tested as Hawks detective Edward du Plessis took to the stand.
At the centre of the controversy is a statement Modack made to a detective known as Captain Alfred Barker and the use of this statement by the State to prove he attempted to corrupt the top cops.
The Hawks revealed that in their investigation it was established that Modack claimed he was approached by a man known as Mohamed Hanware to facilitate payments.
But bank records shown at court illustrated that R587 000 had been paid to Hanware’s partner, and not cops.
While Barker was subpoenaed by the State to meet with Modack’s Legal Aid lawyer, Advocate Bash Sibda, for the defence case, Modack’s latest claims sent tongues wagging in the courtroom yesterday.
As Sibda concluded his cross examination, Modack passed a note to his lawyer levelling two more statements.
Sibda ask Du Plessis if he was aware that his client’s version was that IPID investigators asked him to withdraw the charges against Vearey and to instead make a false statement against Barker.
The detective informed the court they were not aware of this. Chuckles were heard in the courtroom as those present noted that Modack gave the instruction just as an IPID investigator came walking into the courtroom.
Meanwhile,former AGU officer and co-accused, Ashley Tabisher, has objected to his warning statement being entered into evidence.
Tabisher, who alongside Amaal Jantjies and Janick Adonis are set to stand trial on corruption charges, is representing himself at the mammoth trial.
He revealed in court that he had been offered bail to make the warning statement and the case was postponed to a trial-within-a-trial for Judge Henney to ascertain if it should be admitted into evidence.
It is understood that the Hawks detectives who investigated the planned grenade attack on Kinnear’s home will start presenting their evidence next week.