Durban cop's testimony under the spotlight in Nafiz Modack trial
The police officer, Calvin Shunmugam, said that Modack asked him to help another State witness, Shanil Maharaj, to retrieve two million rand from an asset manager following a botched investment.
Durban police officer Calvin Shunmugam testified in the Nafiz Modack trial at the the Western Cape High Court on 15 May 2024. Picture: Carlo Petersen/Eyewitness News
CAPE TOWN - The testimony of a Durban police officer was under the crosshairs at the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday, as startling claims were made in the high-profile case against alleged underworld kingpin, Nafiz Modack.
Modack and his 14 co-accused face 124 charges, including the murder of top cop, Charl Kinnear, and the attempted murder of criminal defence attorney, William Booth.
The police officer, Calvin Shunmugam, said that Modack asked him to help another State witness, Shanil Maharaj, to retrieve two million rand from an asset manager following a botched investment.
Defence attorney for Modack, Bashier Sibda, told the court that Modack admitted to asking Shunmugam for help.
It is the State's case that Modack wanted the officer to arrest an asset manager, who can only be identified as "Mister C", as part of a plot of intimidation.
On Tuesday, Shunmugam became visibly excited as he explained how he came to know Modack, referring to him as "Pablo" and the Robin Hood of Cape Town.
Shunmugam told the court that Modack's alleged right-hand man, Anwar "Gustavo" Gallie put him in contact with Modack.
He admitted that he then orchestrated Mister C's arrest in Cape Town from Durban.
Sibda also told the court that Gallie was an associate of Modack's, who was obsessed with the Netflix series "Narcos".
He said, in jest, that Gallie nicknamed Modack "Pablo" while calling himself "Gustavo", a play on Pablo Escobar's right-hand man.
The trial continues.