Cape Town – The man arrested after the assassination of the Western Cape’s top cop Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear made his first appearance in court on Friday morning.
The suspect, Zane Killian, 39, appeared in the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court on charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and unlawful interception of communication.
Kinnear was shot and killed outside his home a week ago. It is alleged to have been hit. Killian is believed to have traced Kinnear through his phone.
The case was postponed to October 5 for further investigation.
The NPA said they would oppose bail should the defence bring an application.
Eric Bryer, the instructing attorney for the defence, said the arrest warrant was issued to his client on September 20. The Hawks went to his house on Monday night and took him in for questioning in Germiston at the Hawks’ offices.
He said Killian was questioned for three hours until midnight. He was then held at the Midrand police station’s holding cells overnight.
Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said “the suspect was arrested in Gauteng on Wednesday and details surrounding the murder are still unknown”.
“More arrests are not ruled out as investigations are still under way.”
According to news reports, Killian is a former professional rugby player from Springs on Gauteng’s East Rand.
Kinnear, 52, a top detective with the Anti-Gang Unit, was assassinated outside his home in Bishop Lavis on Friday. He had been working on a number of high-profile cases involving some of the province’s top gang bosses.
Kinnear was central to several probes in the underworld and was investigating alleged underworld figures Nafiz Modack and Colin Booysen. He was also working on the murder cases of biker boss Tim Lotter and Cape Town advocate Pete Mihalik.
Police have been under public pressure to make an arrest in the Kinnear matter after questions were raised about why his armed protection was withdrawn
Police Minister Bheki Cele and National Police Commissioner General Khehla John Sitole have vowed to throw all resources at apprehending those responsible for Kinnear’s murder.
Private forensics investigator Paul O'Sullivan has offered R1 million for the successful prosecution of those responsible for the murder.
The Bishop Lavis Community Policing Forum (CPF), family, friends and police officers gathered in front of Kinnear’s home at Gearing Road in Bishop Lavis on Thursday to celebrate his life.
The emotive service was attended by his colleagues in the AGU, the police top echelons in the province, Cape Town mayor Dan Plato and SA Human Rights Commission commissioner Chris Nissen.
Weekend Argus