Crime intelligence colonel faces tough questions from Booysen's lawyer

CAPE TOWN - A crime intelligence colonel is facing tough questioning in court from alleged underworld gang boss Jerome "Donkie" Booysen's lawyer.

Booysen and 11 others are on trial for the murder of steroid dealer Brian Wainstein, who was shot dead in his Constantia home in 2017.

Legal teams are arguing for the court to decide whether cellphone recordings intercepted from Booysen's phone can be used as evidence against him.

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Alleged underworld gang boss Jerome Booysen's lawyer, advocate Amanda Nel, on Tuesday started her cross-examination of a crime intelligence colonel presenting evidence for the state.

The colonel, who is a commander at crime intelligence headquarters in Pretoria, is in charge of authorising cellphone interceptions on behalf of the SAPS.

Nel told the court, she will argue that the colonel was not authorised to grant the Hawks permission to tap Booysen's phone in 2015.

"It will go to non-compliance when the court will allow me to get there with specifics to who is an applicant and who is the person who is authorised, and that is where I'm going to."

The colonel told the court he was not given the names of the officers who would have access to the recordings after he authorised the interception.