Modack trial so far: Prosecution closes its case after 29 days in court

After a lengthy cross-examination, the prosecution in the high-profile trial of alleged underworld gang boss Nafiz Modack rested its case in the Western Cape high court.

Modack faces 122 charges for various crimes and has been under cross-examination for 29 days.

Fourteen others are on trial along with Modack for various crimes related to allegedly operating a criminal enterprise.

Prosecutor Greg Wolmarans rested the state's case against Nafiz Modack in November after twenty-nine days of intense cross-examination.

Wolmarans used cellphone evidence to show the Modack used co-accused Zane Killian to track the whereabouts of slain top cop Charl Kinnear as well other senior officers from the anti-gang unit including the now-deceased general Andre Lincoln.

"Suddenly you talk about a phone call you had with general Lincoln that morning and that you gave Kilian general Lincoln's number." Modack: "That's right..." Wolmarans: "Keep spinning it mister Modack, keep spinning it."

Wolmarans said the state will also argue Modack used empire investment cars as a front company to pay some of his co-accused to commit crimes on his behalf.

"I'm going to argue that the heartbeat of your criminal enterprise was empire investment cars." Modack: "That's not true, my lord." Wolmarans: "And this was nothing more than your piggy bank and you used it to move dirty money."

Not guilty claim

Modack remained defiant throughout his lengthy cross-examination in the Western Cape high court this year.

During cross-examination Modack denied the charges he faces while turning his back one of his fourteen co-accused Zane Kilian.

He told the court co-accused Zane Kilian could be part of a conspiracy against him involving his alleged underworld rivals Jerome "Donkie" Booysen and the now deceased Mark Lifman and Andre Naude.

Kilian said Modack instructed him to track the whereabouts of prominent lawyer William Booth before an attempt on the lawyer's life five years ago.

Kilian told the court it was also Modack who paid him to ping slain top cop Charl Kinnear before his murder in 2020.

However, Modack denied giving the instructions saying Kilian was doing the same work for Booysen, Lifman and Naude.

"Kilian was working for them my lord. Doing tracking, pinging, everything in Johannesburg. So, if they had access to Kilian's platform, they could have pinged easily on Kilian's platform my lord."

The matter will be back in court in January.