Judge overseeing Nafiz Modack trial dismisses defence attorneys' attempts to have charges against accused withdrawn

CAPE TOWN - A High Court judge overseeing the trial against alleged underworld gang boss, Nafiz Modack, has continued to dismiss attempts by defence attorneys to have charges against the accused withdrawn.  
 
Defence attorneys for eight of Modack's co-accused on Wednesday submitted discharge applications to have the charges against their clients withdrawn.
 
Modack and his 14 co-accused face 122 charges for various crimes related to allegedly operating a criminal enterprise.
 
Judge Robert Henney on Wednesday took many of the defence attorneys to task for their submissions to have charges against their clients withdrawn.
 
The defence tried to discredit the State's main witness, a self-confessed hitman who testified that Modack and the eight of the accused were complicit in the charges they face.
 
Defence attorneys highlighted contradictions in the State witnesses's testimony, saying he lied under oath.
 
After listening to the submissions, Henney told defence attorneys he could not discredit the witness even though certain elements of his testimony were questionable.
 
The matter will be back in court on Thursday for the State to present its heads of argument.