State uses cellphone evidence in bid to show Modack was behind attempt to murder Booth

The prosecution team in the high-profile trial of alleged underworld gang boss, Nafiz Modack, on Monday set out to prove he was involved in an attack on prominent criminal defence attorney, William Booth.

Modack and 14 others face 122 charges for various crimes related to operating a criminal enterprise. The charges include the attempted murder of Booth at his Higgovale home five years ago.

State prosecutor, Greg Wolmarans, used evidence extracted from co-accused Zane Kilian's cellphone on Monday to show that Modack was allegedly behind an attempt on attorney Booth's life in April 2020.

Modack and Kilian, along with four other co-accused, face charges of attempted murder related to the shooting.

Wolmarans showed the court screenshots from Kilian's phone, which indicate he was "pinging" Booth and one of Booth's clients, a former State witness who can only be identified as "Mister C." Pinging refers to tracking a cellphone's location.

Modack told the court he was hired to perform a debt collection from "Mister C" in March 2020. However, he denied asking Kilian to track (ping) either Booth or "Mister C."

The following exchange occurred in court:

Wolmarans: "They want you 'Naf' to have Mister C pinged."

Modack: "I never pinged him, my lord."

Wolmarans: "At the very least, they want you to organise that Mister C be pinged."

Modack: "That's not true, my Lord."

The trial continues.