Convicted drug kingpin Fadwaan “Vet” Murphy’s attempt to reduce the jail sentences of him and his ex wife Shafieka Murphy has backfired after their leave to appeal was denied.
Vet was sentenced to 18 years behind bars and Shafieka to 15 years after they were found guilty of creating an illegal enterprise, his business Ulterior Trading Solutions CC, to carry out criminal activities.
Ulterior Trading Solutions CC which was listed as accused number six in the trial, was fined R2 million.
The State also ordered that his assets, which include three properties, 14 vehicles and furniture, be auctioned after it was seized by the Assets Forfeiture Unit.
This week, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the State had a water-tight case in which Murphy was convicted and sentenced, strengthened by records of his bank transactions, witness statements and testimonies.
It took the State nearly a decade to take Murphy off the streets of Mitchells Plain after he was slapped with 229 counts, including charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca), 72 charges of money laundering and 112 charges of drug dealing.
Murphy’s case made South African history when he became the first drug dealer to be convicted under Poca last year.
Eric Ntabazalila of the NPA said the State had argued that Murphy had used his company as a front to conceal his drug dealing and other illegal activities.
Ntabazalila says: “The company’s bank accounts were also used to purchase properties in Strand, a five-bedroom house with two swimming pools in Parklands and another one in Worcester.”
Ntabazalila said Murphy claimed he had been unfairly convicted due to charges being “duplicated” and the State relying on a “non-credible” witness.
Ntabazalila adds: “He claimed Judge Diane Davis erred in relying on the evidence of a ‘woefully discredited’ State witness and challenged the search and seizure ruling made by the court.
“Senior State Advocate Aradhana Heeramun argued the court has delivered detailed, comprehensive, and considered judgements in the main trial, the sentencing and the interlocutory matters which arose during the trial.
“In a trial where every conceivable challenge was made, it was difficult to fathom why the aspect of duplication of convictions was not raised earlier unless Murphy and his company’s legal representative were attempting to set up a constitutional point.”
During his leave to appeal application last month, Murphy’s lawyers even attempted to push blame on his now deceased sister, Glenda Bird, who was an accused in the trial.