Cape nightclub takeover case starts bail hearing

A FIERY bail hearing of seven men accused of masterminding a deadly takeover of the Cape Town nightclub security racket started yesterday.

A contingent of top Cape Town criminal lawyers filled the courtroom, along with dozens of undercover police officers and friends and family members of the accused men.

They include Nafiz Modack and Colin Booysen‚ younger brother of alleged Sexy Boys gang boss Jerome “Donkie” Booysen.

SAPS Major-General Jeremy Veary – whose ‘Operation Combat’ team was responsible for the arrests – was also present in court‚ flanked by high-ranking police officers.

Representing Booysen‚ advocate Pete Mihalik started proceedings by asking acting Cape Town magistrate Selwin Africa to recuse himself from the bail hearing.

Mihalik said that this was on two grounds: one, Africa had previously denied bail in a similar case and the decision was overturned on appeal, and two, that there was a “conflict of interest”.

He asked Africa whether state advocate Adiel Jansen had consulted him before court to “orchestrate a postponement”.

This resulted in outrage by Jansen, who went as far as to threaten personal litigation because Mihalik was attempting to “cast aspersions” on him.

“I have not approached your worship in chambers. He mustn’t cast aspersions like that. I take exception to that! It is between the state‚ whom I represent‚ and the accused‚ whom their legal council represents. It mustn’t be a personal matter‚” he said.

Modack‚ Booysen‚ Jacques Cronje‚ Carl Lakay‚ Ashley Fields‚ Matthys Visser‚ and James De Jager are all being charged with extortion‚ it is believed‚ in connection with an apparent “disagreement” over a “security contract” at The Grand Cafe in Greenpoint.

The men were all arrested two weeks ago at their homes.

The bail hearing will continue today with a different magistrate expected to hear the case. — DDC