Kinnear grenade case: Prosecution says corrupt cop was paid to keep Modack informed of impending police raids

This was the gist of arguments by the State in opposing bail against Amaal Jantjies in the Parow Regional Court on Friday 30 April. The proceedings relate to a failed hand-grenade attack on the house of the Anti-Gang Unit’s Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear on 23 November 2019.

Modack’s name was at the centre of the State’s arguments and prosecutor Blaine Lazarus played several recordings to the court and referred to messages between Modack and Jantjies.

In a police breakthrough this week, Modack was arrested for the murder of Kinnear and attempted murder of lawyer William Booth.

Jantjies, along with co-accused Farez Smith and Janock Adonis (who is Jantjies’s boyfriend), are facing several charges relating to the failed grenade attack. The trio are facing gang-related offences, including being part of a gang, five counts of conspiracy to commit murder, acquiring an explosive and unlicenced trading in firearms. Both Farez and Smith are members of the Junky Funky Kids in Manenberg.

From the outset, Jantjies was adamant that the grenade incident was orchestrated by AGU head Major-General Andre Lincoln and part of a plot to get rid of an alleged underworld figure who was threatening Lincoln.

She said Lincoln arranged a series of meetings and even went as far as arranging a hand-grenade without explosives. She denied knowing Modack or ever meeting him.

On Friday, the prosecution painted a clear picture that she had communicated with Modack via WhatsApp. The state handed in records showing communication between her and Modack dating back to 5 November 2019.

Lazarus put it to Jantjies that Modack gave her two BMW vehicles and R7,000 to purchase two cell phones. Jantjies denied this, saying: “I had a brand new BMW and handed it in for another one. The other BMW I got from another person but not from Modack.”

The State shifted its attention to a 14-page transcript of Jantjies meeting a Sergeant Tabisher at the AGU on 10 November 2019. The purpose of the meeting, said Lazarus, was for Jantjies to convince Tabisher to work for Modack and feed him information about intended raids on his house.

The court played a voice note from 14:21pm on 10 November 2019, sent to Modack, wherein Jantjies said: “Good afternoon Mr Modack, I’ve tried many times to get hold of you.

“I have met with Tabisher and the meeting went off well. I made recordings of the meeting and that he agreed on a fee.”

The prosecution also alleges that Modack made two EFT payments to her, of R20,000 and R12, 000. The R20,000, she said, was used to get Modack’s mother and sister-in-law out of Mfuleni police station, where they were being held.

The R12,000, Lazurus argued, was to pay Tabisher to keep Modack informed about all intended raids planned at his house and who of his people betrayed him and informed the AGU.

But she replied: “I cannot recall the R12,000. Yes, I remember giving Tabisher R5,000 for his child but not R10,000.”

On the planned attacks that Jantjies and the two other accused were supposed to carry out, the State showed a 14 November 2019 message in which Modack sent her Kinnear’s address, which she handed on to Adonis.

The court also heard that Jantjies acquired the service of a person called Yusie who was supposed to throw a petrol bomb at Kinnear’s place on 19 November.

“You WhatsApp Yusie the address of Kinnear. But Yusie informed you there is a double cab parked in front of Kinnear’s house and need time to petrol bomb the house,” said Lazarus.

“On 17 November you got hold of a person named Abie to make a video of Kinnear’s house and you sent it to Mr Modack. You told Modack we will sort it out and he didn’t have to worry. On 22 November, Adonis sent the name of Moosa who indicated he will do it for R15,000.”

Jantjies denied she had arranged the planned attack and maintained that the AGU was behind the plan. But Lazarus put it to her: “If you were part of an AGU plan you would have stood in the box as a witness and not as an accused. You are standing here because you planned the attack on the house of Kinnear.”

The court also heard that on 18 November Jantjies arranged with a person called Shannon from Atlantis for a gun to give to Yusie and offered to pay R7,000 for the firearm.

Jantjies vehemently denied this and said Yusie has received guns from the AGU and that, during a raid in Delft, the AGU gave him back drugs they confiscated from him.

“On 23 November 2019 you were standing at your window to hear the shots that were supposed to be fired at Kinnear’s house,” Lazarus said.

Lazarus said this proved Jantjies was somebody who could not be trusted. She had connections with high flyers and criminal elements. Her boyfriend, Adonis, was a Junky Funky Kid hitman who faced 10 charges of attempted murder in Khayelitsha and, with a criminal background, she could arrange attacks on the witness.

“The hand-grenade plot at Kinnear’s place didn’t come from the AGU as you profess, but from Modack. You are a cold-blooded killer,” he added. 

During cross-examination, Jantjies told the court she would not interfere with the witness and was aware of the consequences of doing so. Jantjies said she did not hold grudges against any witnesses in the matter, that she was a first offender and did not have previous criminal records.

“The State said that I’m a cold-blooded killer, but it is up the court to make a decision on whether I’m a cold-blooded killer.” DM/MC