Cape Town - A seventh accused is expected to join suspected drug kingpin Fadwaan “Vet” Murphy in the dock when his trial begins in a few weeks’ time.
Pre-trial proceedings began at the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on Monday where Murphy, 44, the alleged leader of the Dixie Boys Gang, shared the dock with his ex-wife and mother of his two children, Shafieka Murphy, 49, his sister, Glenda Bird, 46, and alleged henchmen Dominique Davidson and Leon Paulsen.
They are facing 239 charges including racketeering, money laundering and drug possession as well as charges relating to the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca).
Murphy was arrested in 2016 and was released on R20 000 bail.
This after a raid in September 2015 at a house in Reindeer Street, Grassy Park, owned by Davidson, where police confiscated R4 million and drugs including 7985 packets of tik, 10 400 units of heroin and sealing machines.
The matter against the accused were dropped in June last year due to an administrative error on their docket, which listed Murphy’s company, Ulterior Trading, as an accused.
The Cape High Court ruled Murphy’s assets be unfrozen and returned to him, but that he may not trade or sell them in a period of six months.
However, the charges were reinstated and last week cops swooped on Murphy’s properties and possessions, said to be worth R53 million, which were seized by the state’s Assets Forfeiture Unit.
Members of the Asset Forfeiture Unit at Murphy's Mitchells Plain house. Picture: Daily Voice
On Monday, Murphy appointed a private attorney, identified as Advocate Van der Berg.
The five other accused were given until 16 April to bring their legal representatives to court.
The court also heard that a seventh accused has been implicated in the case.
The person’s identity, and how they relate to the case, was not revealed.
The AFU has so far seized all Murphy’s furniture, several vehicles including two BMWs, while his five properties in Mitchells Plain, Strand, Parklands and Athlone were seized by the Deeds Office.
In the latest seizures on Friday, police confiscated four more of his vehicles in Worcester, bringing the total number to eight.
One of the vehicles, a VW Jetta, is registered in Shafieka’s name.
The accused are all out on bail and will be back in court on 16 April.