Cape Town - The murder of top cop Charl Kinnear was a callous act that was part of a conspiracy which is being exposed by the work of the police, says Police Minister Bheki Cele.
He was reacting to the arrest of four suspects including alleged underworld boss and controversial businessman Nafiz Modack on Thursday.
Modack was among the four suspects aged between 29 and 49 arrested by the National Task team. The team executed six warrants of arrests in the Western Cape, according to the Hawks.
“We also expect more arrests to follow,” Cele said.
Kinnear had been investigating Modack's alleged role in an underworld battle to control the Cape Town nightclub security industry. He was shot dead outside his Bishop Lavis home in September.
“The arrests follow the cases of attempted murder of an advocate, murder of a police officer as well as gang-related extortion, kidnapping and intimidation in the Milnerton area,” said Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale.
“The suspects were noticed by the team in Century View. When the team attempted to stop them, they accelerated with one vehicle missing one of the members.
“A high-speed chase ensued and the suspects were cornered on Sable Road and arrested,” said Mogale.
She said during the arrest, two vehicles were searched.
“Inside the Mercedes with two occupants that was stopped, two unlicensed firearms were recovered. In the second vehicle, a Toyota Hilux with two occupants, an unlicensed firearm was recovered.”
Modack's lawyer, advocate Dirk Uys, confirmed that his client had been arrested but said they had not yet been informed of the charges.
Kinnear's widow, Nicolette, said: “I know that Modack has been arrested. I have not received any feedback on the charges or case he has been arrested for. I am waiting on the task team to brief me about the development.”
The four suspects are expected appear in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, extortion and kidnapping.
On Friday morning, Mogale added: “Two suspects handed themselves over this morning and will also face the same charges.”
Thursday's arrests come just days after three members of the Terrible West Siders gang were sentenced at Cape Town Regional Court in connection with the attempted killing of prominent Cape Town lawyer, William Booth.
Kauthar Brown, Ebrahim Deare and Riyaad Gesant were convicted after they entered into a plea and sentencing agreement with the State.
Brown was effectively sentenced to three years' corrections supervision which included house arrest and 960 hours of community service. Deare was effectively sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, while his co-accused Gesant was sentenced to an effective five years.
Meanwhile, the case against Zane Kilian, accused of being a co-conspirator in the murder of Kinnear, is expected to resume on May 24.