A Daily Voice story about alleged drug kingpin Fadwaan “Vet” Murphy in 2015 led to a bust at a drug warehouse in Lotus River for which he is now on trial.
This was revealed at the Cape High Court on Monday, where Murphy, 43, his ex-wife, Shafieka Murphy, 46, his sister, Glenda Bird, 46, as well as Dominic Davidson, 29, Leon Paulsen, 52, and Desmond Jacobs, 41, face 229 charges relating to racketeering, drug dealing, drug possession, money laundering and charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca).
The State is set to prove Murphy created an illegal enterprise, his business Ulterior Trading CC, to carry out criminal activities.
Last week, after all the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, Judge Diane Davis called for a trial within a trial to determine whether police had a legal warrant on 18 September 2015, when they searched the house in Reindeer Street, Lotus River.
Without a warrant the case could collapse.
BUST: Vet’s sister Glenda Bird allegedly caught with drugs
The State wants to prove cops reacted to a complaint from a tenant at the house, and did not go there with the intention to raid the house and arrest Murphy.
The house belongs to Davidson, and police confiscated drugs and cash worth R4 million, which included 7 985 packets of tik and 10 400 units of heroin, as well as sealing machines.
Yesterday the tenant testified after seeing Murphy’s photograph in a Daily Voice article on 16 September 2015, with the headline “Vet on Ice”, he called cops.
The tenant said the house was owned by Davidson’s father, who had passed away.
He said Murphy, who identified himself as “Wanie”, rented a room for Shafieka and a man named Gavin.
VAS: Policeman busts Vet who is facing numerous charges
He says he and his partially-sighted girlfriend lived in the front section of the house, which was divided by a concrete wall.
They regularly saw Murphy dropping off the new tenants, and he and Murphy chatted, during which Murphy claimed to be in the “construction business”.
“But they would not sleep there, he would drop them off at 7.15am, and fetch them between 2 and 5pm daily,” the man testified.
“No-one would come out of the house, there was no washing being hung and the windows were always closed.”
On 17 September, the tenant saw the article, and his girlfriend alerted cops the next day.
“My friend gave me the copy of the [Daily] Voice and he said I would be interested because the man that comes to the house is in it,” he testified.
“I saw Wanie’s picture in the Daily Voice and it said there was a raid at a house in Lentegeur.
“I was shocked. We (Murphy and I) would talk about sports and cars.
BUST: Vet’s sister Glenda Bird allegedly caught with drugs
“My girlfriend and I feared for our lives. My girlfriend saw General Gregory Goss’s name and photograph in the paper and called Lentegeur police and asked for him. She told him about our observations at the house.”
He said cops in an unmarked vehicle arrived late that day, and he was questioned and shown photographs, in which he identified Shafieka.
“This is when this cop, Britz, called for backup.”
He said there were people at the back, but they refused to open for police.
Constable Adam Adams, of Grassy Park SAPS, testified that he was called to the house via his station commander and was requested to bring a bolt cutter.
The case continues.