Modack Grilled In Court Over Alleged Role In Killing Of Anti Gang Unit’s Charl Kinnear

The high stakes trial of alleged underworld boss Nafiz Modack has reached a tense and emotional chapter, as prosecutors began questioning him directly about his alleged role in the killing of Lieutenant Charl Kinnear, one of Cape Town’s most respected anti gang detectives.

The Western Cape High Court was packed once again, with families of both the accused and the late officer watching every exchange closely. It has been five years since Kinnear was shot outside his Bishop Lavis home in September 2020, yet the case still holds the city’s attention. For many Capetonians, it symbolises the long shadow the underworld continues to cast over communities already fighting daily battles against extortion, turf wars and gang violence.

A City Still Haunted By Kinnear’s Death

Lieutenant Kinnear was not just another police officer. He was a key figure in the Anti Gang Unit, deeply involved in investigations targeting organised crime networks and alleged racketeering syndicates. When he was assassinated outside his home, South Africans across social media reacted with shock, anger and a sense of helplessness. His death was seen as a direct attack on law enforcement, and the hashtag JusticeForKinnear resurfaced Wednesday as trial details emerged again.

Many locals on X said the courtroom revelations were reopening old wounds, especially in Bishop Lavis where residents still speak of Kinnear as a man who fought for communities often ignored by the system.

Prosecutors Outline Alleged Intent

State prosecutor Greg Wolmarans did not hold back as he confronted Modack with evidence meant to establish intent. One moment that drew murmurs in court was when Wolmarans produced a past newspaper article quoting Modack criticising Kinnear and accusing the detective of fabricating cases against him and his associates.

According to the State, this tension forms part of the motive.

Wolmarans also reminded the court that Kinnear had arrested one of the co accused, Jacques Cronje, for kidnapping and intimidating a former state witness known publicly only as Mister Vallie. The alleged intimidation was linked to an extortion matter tied to Modack.

The prosecution further argued that the attempt on attorney William Booth’s life was also connected to Modack. Booth had secured a protection order against Cronje, which the State believes escalated the underworld conflict.

“Then the next target becomes Mr Kinnear,” Wolmarans told the court as he mapped a chain of events the State views as interconnected.

Modack Claims A Conspiracy

Modack, who is charged alongside 14 others and faces a staggering 122 charges, continued to insist he is the victim of a setup. He accused Kinnear of working with his alleged underworld rival, Jerome Donkie Booysen, and claimed that the detective deliberately targeted him.

From the dock, Modack portrayed himself as someone caught in a broader power struggle, though prosecutors maintained that the evidence tells a very different story.

Cape Town Watches Closely As Trial Deepens

The courtroom exchanges have once again highlighted how deeply organised crime intersects with everyday life in the Western Cape. From extortion rackets that affect small businesses to violent turf battles that spill into residential streets, the case has become a mirror to the challenges many residents know too well.

As Modack continues to face questioning, the city waits to see whether the court’s findings will finally bring closure to one of the most painful chapters in South African policing history.

For now, the testimony continues and so does the public’s call for accountability.

{Source: EWN}

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