Underworld links to Kinnear murder investigation spook criminal lawyers in Western Cape

Advocate Eckhard Rosemann, talking candidly about representing Zane Killian, told Maverick Citizen he had initially been approached by Gauteng lawyer Eric Bryer to handle Killian’s bail application. 

Killian, a former professional rugby player, is facing a count of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and the illegal interception of communication. 

It is the state’s contention that Killian “pinged” or tracked Kinnear’s phone 2,116 times, right up until Kinnear was assassinated on Friday 18 September 2020 in front of his house at 10 Gearing Road, Bishop Lavis.

The state views Killian as an integral cog in the plot that claimed Kinnear’s life. Killian was bust in Springs on 21 September and brought to Cape Town to face the charges.

“I wasn’t told when I decided to handle Killian’s bail application that he was implicated in the murder of Kinnear. I will handle his bail application set down for three days next week in the Bellville Regional Court,” Roseman said.

He would not elaborate on whether he would represent Killian in the ensuing murder trial. 

The alleged involvement of underworld figures and corrupt police officers has enabled Rosemann to assess the enormity of this case and the perils he could possibly face.

It is Killian’s contention that he was approached by a jealous husband, a Mr Mohamad, to track the phone of his wife whom he accused of having multiple affairs. 

Killian’s counsel during earlier appearances in the Bishop Lavis Magistrates’ Court alleged that Killian had been unaware that he had been tracking Kinnear’s phone.

However, investigations by Maverick Citizen established that payment for the tracking conducted by Killian was paid via Cash Send. 

A pin was forwarded and the money was withdrawn. Killian was also allegedly introduced by a Gauteng security boss to the mysterious Mr Mohamad.

Mohamad’s identity is the missing link that would blow open the plot to kill Kinnear and help investigators to identify the rotten cops and the underworld figures behind the murder. 

It could set in motion the release of evidence that might further tarnish the reputation of the South African Police Services.

On Tuesday 20 October, advocates handling criminal cases in the Western Cape High Court warned that there was no guarantee Killian’s trial would not take the same route as that of murdered Cape Town advocate Pete Mihalik. 

Mihalik was killed in front of his children in a well-planned hit in October 2018 outside Reddam House school in Green Point as he was dropping them off.

In another twist in the Kinnear assassination and his 59-page affidavit containing damning allegations against members of an alleged rogue police unit, two more police officers have since come forward and made claims against corrupt senior police officers.