Modack's testimony details how he was enemies with alleged underworld bosses Lifman and Booysen

CAPE TOWN - Alleged underworld gang boss Nafiz Modack started his testimony in the Western Cape High Court by detailing how he became enemies with alleged underworld figures Jerome "Donkie" Booysen and the now-deceased Mark Lifman.

Modack is currently being cross-examined by State prosecutor Greg Wolmarans after finishing his evidence-in-chief last week.

The alleged underworld kingpin, who is on trial along with 14 co-accused, faces 122 charges for various crimes related to allegedly operating a criminal enterprise.

Modack told the court he became enemies with Lifman and Booysen after Lifman tried to purchase two of Modack's properties at an auction in March 2017.

He said when they met, Lifman insisted he would buy the properties for less than their value.

Modack said he had already secured buyers for the properties and after providing auctioneers with letters to prove this, the auctions were cancelled.

He told the court he then had an argument with Lifman, who allegedly pointed a firearm in Modack's face.

Modack said after the confrontation he received information that certain nightclub owners were not happy with the security Lifman was providing for them, saying he was allowing drugs to be sold inside the clubs.

He admitted he made a decision to take over the security at nightclubs in Cape Town because Lifman had tried to intimidate him at the auctions.

Modack said he negotiated deals with the owners of 80% of the nightclubs in Cape Town, using the same bouncers and paying them more money than Lifman had paid them.

He said he also promised to prohibit the sale of drugs inside the nightclubs.

Modack said after he mediated the takeover, he was called into a meeting with retired top cop, Major General Jeremy Vearey.

Modack told the court, Vearey - who was head of detectives in the Western Cape at the time - summoned him to a meeting at his Cape Town office.

He said when Vearey questioned him about his intentions, he told him he wanted to ensure the nightclubs were drug-free.

Modack told the court, Vearey then instructed him to split the nightclub security with Lifman "fifty-fifty", which he refused.

He told the court before leaving the meeting, Vearey told him: "You're either with us, or against us."

Modack was arrested along with alleged gang boss Colin Booysen, co-accused Jacques Cronje, Ashley Fields and the now-deceased Carl Lakay on 15 December 2017.

Slain top cop Charl Kinnear, whose murder was allegedly orchestrated by Modack, was the investigating officer at the time.

The five men faced charges of extortion and intimidation related to Cafe Grand nightclub, but were later acquitted.

Modack told the court it was around this time that Vearey instructed Kinnear to perform a raid at his property in Plattekloof, where members of the Anti-Gang Unit confiscated six of his firearms.

Modack testified he then met a former associate, Mohamed Hanware, who told him he had links to Vearey and Kinnear, and could get his guns back at a price.

He said after being in Hanware's company while he spoke to Kinnear and Vearey over the phone, he proceeded to make various payments to Hanware's wife, Caitlyn Bowen, for the money to end up with Vearey.

Evidence shows Modack made various payments from Empire Investments Cars amounting to more than R1 million to Bowen.

Modack told the court he also gave Hanware a Toyota Fortuner worth R1 million to sell so that he could pay Vearey.

He told the court he made the payments because he feared Vearey was behind the murder of his attorney Pete Mihailik, his former co-accused Carl Lakay and the attempted murder of his friend, Colin Booysen.

Hanware - who turned State witness - previously testified he convinced Modack to pay the money because Modack was "gullible" and owed him more than R2 million.

Evidence shows the money went from Empire Investment Cars to Bowen, but the electronic money trail ends there.

Vearey admitted Modack was a victim of a "long con" by Hanware, which he and his slain colleague Kinnear were aware of.

Speaking during an interview with John Maytham on Cape Talk last year, Vearey said when he and Kinnear became aware of Hanware's con, they reported it immediately.

"Modack was the subject of a long con by the middleman. We reported those matters. so, there was never any money transferred to us."

This week, Modack told the court the value of the confiscated firearms was about R200 000.

Wolmarans questioned Modack about why he spent more than R500, 000 in legal fees on court applications to get his firearms back.

"You were prepared to spend more money than what the firearms were worth, but you wanted those firearms back."

Modack told the court the firearms were taken from him illegally and he wanted to get them back legally.

The trial continues next week.