Controversial businessman Nafiz Modack allegedly threatened to take out the investigating officer, the prosecutor and top cops, the Cape Town Magistrate's Court heard on Wednesday.
Investigating officer Colonel Charl Kinnear testified he was informed by the National Crime Intelligence Unit of the threats on his life and those of his colleagues’ lives after court last week.
“I was informed last Friday that information was received that threats were made against Captain Japhta, who is part of the cluster, Major-General Jeremy Vearey who heads the Cape Town Cluster, myself and the state prosecutor (Esna Erasmus),” he said.
“The information was that the threats came from Nafiz Modack.”
Modack, Colin Booysen - the brother of alleged Sexy Boys gang leader Jerome Booysen, Carl Lakay, Ashley Fields and Jacques Cronjé, each face eight counts of extortion and a charge of intimidation linked to the violent takeover of the nightclub security business.
They allegedly tried to extort R369 000 from The Grand Africa Cape and Beach near the V&A Waterfront.
The six were arrested on 15 December and remain behind bars while their bail application is being heard in court.
The accused have been linked to security company TSG, who are believed to be fighting an older group, led by businessman Mark Lifman and Andre Naude, for control of the jol scene.
Kinnear also testified that Modack approached tronkvoels to carry out hits on his rivals.
“The [reports of] threats did not only come from Crime Intelligence but from SAPS and other external sources too. Mr Modack also involved some prisoners at Pollsmoor Prison to execute these threats, information revealed,” he stated.
Kinnear says Vearey got a call from the Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Khombinkosi Jula, informing him of the threats, and the state prosecutor was notified.
“Major-General Vearey received a call from Commissioner Jula on January 19 at 8.39pm indicating information came from crime intelligence that there are threats on our lives. The threats are currently being investigated by crime intelligence itself,” said Kinnear.
“Crime intelligence will also be approaching the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) so the NPA can set their own security measures in place regarding the safety of the prosecutor.”
A member of Modack’s legal team, Advocate Edwin Grobler, questioned the reports.
“You are saying my client is behind these threats, can you please explain what kind of threats?” he asked Kinnear.
“The threats are to see and kill myself, Maj.-Gen. Vearey, Captain Japhta and the prosecutor,” Kinnear responded.
Grobler was adamant this was a ploy by cops, saying: “I submit that this information received is fake and when this investigation is concluded, regarding these threats, it will show this is fake.”
In affidavits, read and handed up to the court by the state, the court heard that Modack had ties with high-ranking officers and was a paid informant.
“Modack is a registered informant. Modack also has relationships with high-ranking officers and he plays them off against each other,” an affidavit read.
According to another affidavit, by Warrant Officer Vincent Saunders of a Gauteng police investigating unit, Modack was in possession of a M26 hand grenade, which “they plan to use against the Lifman group”.
The grenade was being stored at a Cape Town nightclub, the statement said.
Meanwhile, outside court, protesters called for Lifman to be prosecuted for paedophilia.
Holding up placards reading “Re-open 2005 paedophile case against Lifman”, the group said Lifman must be retried after he was acquitted in 2009 of sexually assaulting seven underage boys.
The matter resumes on Monday.