A Cape Town attorney says she’s been left traumatised after she was arrested by the Hawks just days after her name was mentioned during the pre-trial hearings of alleged underworld kingpin, Nafiz Modack.
The 44-year-old woman, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, claims she was harassed and followed by a senior State prosecutor and one of the main investigators in the murder trial of Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear on a “baseless assumption”.
The attorney, who represented Modack’s co-accused Janick Adonis in a separate matter, was thrust into the limelight last week when co-accused Ashley Tabisher told the court he would subpoena her.
Former cop Tabisher, who faces corruption charges, questioned why State advocate Blaine Lazarus was part of the prosecution team, as he should be listed as a witness instead.
Tabisher, who has denied all the charges against him, claimed clandestine meetings were held at the Anti-Gang Unit base on the instruction of former head, Major General Andre Lincoln, with Adonis.
Tabisher alleged that instead of being taken back to Helderstroom Prison after appearing in court, cops took Adonis to the base for private meetings. It is believed he would provide them information on other gang members.
He claimed that Lazarus and the female attorney were at the base and would need to testify at the trial to prove his innocence.
The attorney says days later, while she and a male friend sat in a park in Panorama, a white 4x4 vehicle stopped next to her, and Lazarus appeared shouting: “Wat de f** maak jy hier?”
The woman says she got a moerse skrik and went to Parow Police Station, with Lazarus and Hawks investigator, Lieutenant-Colonel Pieter Joubert, following her.
She says in Voortrekker Road they flagged a cop car but various cops soon surrounded them.
She says she was taken to the cop shop where she was strip-searched and cops found a bag with powder in her bra and claimed it was cocaine.
She says: I didn’t even feel it. I have big breasts so I don’t know if my friend put it there and I never said anything.”
The attorney says she gave Joubert full access to her computer tablet as he wanted to check if she was taking pictures of Lazarus’ home.
She says: “I don’t even know where Blaine lives.”
She was charged with possession of suspected drugs and intimidation and taken to Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Monday, but the charges were withdrawn.
The woman says she now fears for her safety, adding: “I can confirm that Janick was definitely taken to the AGU base and at the time it was in fact Tabisher who called me and told me to come because my client was there.
“I arrived at the base and was livid and shortly afterwards I withdrew from the matter. In terms of their current trial, I have not been consulted by anyone to be called as a witness.”
Hawks spokesperson, Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani, declined to comment.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, confirms the case against the attorney was not enrolled and says: “The matter was not enrolled and referred back to the police for further investigation.”
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