CAPE TOWN: Controversial businessman and alleged underworld kingpin Nafiz Modack has been implicated in a corruption scandal of more than 50 counts of corruption, in the Cape Town Regional Court on Wednesday.
Modack and his two companies, AMG Auto CC and Peuxon Properties (Pty) Ltd, are alleged to have paid former Cape Town Central Police Station commander Brigadier Kolindren Govender more than R146 000 in gratuity.
According to the State, Govender inferred several times to ensure a businessman linked to Modack was not arrested for the theft of a luxury German vehicle, reckless and negligent driving, and that junior police officers used State resources to look for and return a stolen vehicle belonging to Modack.
The matter has since been postponed until April 20 and April 21, 2022, for plea and trial.
According to the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Eric Ntabazalila, when the trial resumes next year, senior State advocate Louis van Niekerk will be informing the court that a 2012 AMG Mercedes-Benz was found in possession of car dealer and Modack’s business associate Nazeem Saait, on December 28, 2012.
It is alleged that Govender instructed his subordinate, who was the investigating officer in the stolen vehicle case, not to hand over the copy of a founding statement of the criminal case to a warrant officer from the Paarl Vehicle Identification Section.
The warrant officer was instructed to leave the Mercedes-Benz at the premises and not seize it, stating the matter had already been investigated by his office. The vehicle was never recovered after Govender’s interference.
On August 6, 2013, Saait was arrested on charges of negligent and reckless driving, along Main Road, in Woodstock.
He was arrested after a high speed chase involving police and a black Mercedes Benz he was driving.
Saait was never booked into Woodstock police station cells on the charges after Govender intervened once again.
The state further alleges that, in 2021, police officers stationed at Cape Town Central Police Station were ordered by Govender to recover a missing vehicle, which belonged to Modack.
A police officer is alleged to have acted on a seizure warrant he obtained from Modack, and seized a Land Rover using State resources.
The vehicle was allegedly handed over to Modack, without following due processes.
“None of the recovered vehicles were processed through the SAPS records, nor was a police docket opened and registered in any of these incidents.
“For all his troubles, Modack made 51 electronic payments, between November 27, 2011 and August 25, 2013, which ranged between R1 000 and R6 000, to Brigadier Govender,” Ntabazalila said.
IOL