The man accused of pinging the cellphones of alleged dik dinge in the underworld and high-ranking cops in the Western Cape has disputed all the State’s evidence against him.
This was revealed at the Western Cape High Court this week as Zane Kilian submitted a plea explanation amid the ongoing murder trial of Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) detective, Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear.
The former rugby player is on trial alongside alleged underworld kingpin, Nafiz Modack, and faces a slew of charges relating to the illegal interception of communications, the murder of Kinnear, attempted murder of lawyer William Booth as well as charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
According to the State’s case, Kilian pinged the cellphones of various alleged underworld figures, as well as top cops Kinnear, Major-General Jeremy Veary and former AGU boss, Major-General Andre Lincoln.
In his plea explanation, Kilian denies playing any role in the murders or attempted murders, saying all the elements of the charges relating to the pinging are in dispute.
He says he ran a business in Gauteng known as Zane Kilian Tracking and Investigations CC, which offered services such as vehicle recovery, VIP escorts and protection, phone tracking, debt collections and evictions.
He says he bought the ping system from former cop David Goldblatt, who assured him it was a legal system. Kilian says he was given a username and password, but was allegedly not the only person who had access to it.
He contests the ping list, saying it is not official documentation from cellphone networks such as Vodacom and MTN, and says official lists would in fact help his case.
Kilian said: “Authentic lists from Vodacom and MTN could show my personal pings, by indicating the correct ping operator/originator, as well as the location. Upon receipt and verification thereof, I would be willing to make admissions regarding my personal pings.”
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