Alleged underworld kingpin Nafiz Modack slams 'fabricated' gun licence fraud case

Nafiz Modack says the charges against him are fabricated. File photo: Noor Slamdien/African News Agency(ANA)

Nafiz Modack says the charges against him are fabricated. File photo: Noor Slamdien/African News Agency(ANA)

Published Jun 17, 2020

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Cape Town - Controversial businessman and alleged underworld kingpin, Nafiz Modack said on Wednesday that criminal charges brought against him by the state had been fabricated. 

Speaking to African News Agency (ANA), Modack said police were fabricating a case against him after he and 18 others were arrested on charges of fraud.

“I was not arrested, I handed myself over. I was granted bail of R5 000 not R10 000, where do they come on that? They need to do what they need to do. This case was fabricated and I will clear my name in court,” Modack told ANA. 

The office of the national commissioner of police said on Tuesday that eight current police members and two former members were among those arrested. 

The accused appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, among them was Modack, Anwa Gallie and sergeant Lesiba Rodney Masoga. 

Modack was granted R10 000 bail, according to SAPS; he has to report three times a week to the Bothasig police station in Cape Town as part of his bail conditions. 

Gallie was also granted bail of R10 000 and has to report to Sophiatown police station three times a week as part of his bail conditions.

Sergeant Masoga was granted bail of R5 000, with no conditions. 

The arrests comes after a lengthy investigation by the national anti-gang unit (AGU) in the Western Cape led by major-general Andre Lincoln, who had been investigating alleged corruption in parts of the central firearm registry (CFR). 

The suspects face charges relating to fraud, defeating the administration of justice and contravention of the Firearms Control Act (Act 60/2000) on multiple case dockets in Edenvale, Kempton Park and Norwood in the Gauteng province. 

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), in November 2017, it received information relating to fraud and corruption in firearm licence applications in Cape Town and Gauteng. 

In 2018, police found several persons of interest in the matter, including alleged Cape Town underworld figures, their friends and family members, who allegedly received competency certificates, firearm licences and temporary authorisation to possess a firearm, "in a wrongful manner". 

Further investigations led police to the Edenvale, Norwood and Kempton Park police stations, where the applications were made.

Authorities have said, however, that there is a possibility more stations are involved. 

The national police commissioner’s office said in a statement that residential addresses on the applications were falsified and/or misinterpreted, and that information regarding the status of the applicants was not revealed and checked, which is mandatory. 

Application forms were also not signed, nor were testimonials given by character witnesses signed. 

Police subsequently issued J50 warrants of arrest for the 21 suspects and since early June, major-general Lincoln’s team in conjunction with the Gauteng provincial investigation unit (PIC) started arresting suspects. 

On June 10, the following suspects were arrested: Brigadier Hlamalane Lettie Matshene, Pretoria; lieutenant-colonel Moshato Alfred Moloto, Pretoria; lieutenant-colonel Lawrence Sehati Semono, Pretoria; lieutenant-colonel Nonhlanhla Gladys Skosana, Kempton Park; captain Khulekani Samuel Mncube, Pretoria; sergeant Koena Welheminah Nkoana, Norwood. 

Also arrested on June 10 was former colonel Selo Solomon Motau, formerly from Pretoria; and former constable, MB Chokoe, of Kempton Park.

Sergeant Lesiba Rodney Masoga of Norwood was arrested on June 16. Sergeant Matseleng Emily Mokwena of Edenvale was arrested June 11. 

The owners of Acapulco Sports and Guns, Abdullah Mehtar and Mahomed Riaz Moosa, were arrested on June 14.  

On June 5, applicants Yaaseen Modack  and Abdulaliem Ismail were arrested. 

Applicants Nafiz Modack and Anwa Gallie were arrested on June 16.  

Faried Cassiem, Abdulaliem Ismail and Natasha Vandalene Manuel were also arrested. 

Another five suspects are expected to be arrested soon, according to police. 

The group is set to appear in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on July 10.

African News Agency (ANA)

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