In a historic trial, drug kingpin Fadwaan ‘Vet’ Murphy became the first drug dealer convicted under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca) on Wednesday.
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According to IOL, exceptional police work by Captain Nadine Britz from SAPS Crime Intelligence, along with her team of multi-disciplinary units, ended in the successful conviction of Murphy and his co-accused, ex-wife Shariefa.
The case is the first in South Africa where a drug enterprise has been convicted under Poca, following the five-year-long trial.
The accused, along with his ex-wife, appeared in the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday on 229 charges in terms of Poca and the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act.
During the proceedings, the court heard how the couple willingly and unlawfully disguised a lucrative drug packaging business.
Their operation was busted on 18 September, 2015, when police caught Shafieka and two others red-handed packing drugs at a property in Grassy Park.
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The State sought to establish that the enterprise engaged in illegal activity consisting of planned, ongoing, and repeated drug dealing and money laundering within the Mitchells Plain, Wynberg, Cape Town, Strand, Worcester, and Caledon districts between July 2013 and September 2015, which activity constituted a pattern of racketeering activity under Poca.
Using cellphone records, investigators were able to pinpoint Shafieka, Murphy, or both as they travelled between the packaging company and Worcester.
Acting Judge Diane Davis stated in her decision that the State’s evidence ‘fit like a jigsaw puzzle’ and was sufficient to establish the defendants’ guilt.
The State had a strong case, according to Acting Judge Davis, and could show that houses and cars were bought with money from drug sales.
She observed how the case took unexpected turns, with witnesses defending Murphy, who then unfairly accused Shafieka.
Six trials within trials were also included in the trial.
Britz sobbed in silence as Acting Judge Davis read out her guilty verdict for the Poca charges.
After the hearing, Britz told the Daily Voice that she had been crying happy tears because she knew that all of their efforts had finally paid off.
‘I am very emotional, but elated. I am one of those people who believes that justice and righteousness will prevail, and today it did.’
‘This is also a good example to the public. Poca charges are very serious and can lead to life imprisonment,’ she said.
Britz expressed gratitude to her coworkers for their commitment and hard work.
‘We made history as a joint effort. I am just so very proud,’ she added.
Dominic Davidson, one of Murphy’s co-accused, was cleared of all charges.
As there was insufficient evidence to identify him as the person offering the property in Grassy Park for the packaging of their drugs, he left court a free man.
Leon Paulsen, who was allegedly Murphy’s henchman, was cleared of all charges in 2020, while Glenda Bird, another co-accused person, passed away from cancer in 2019.
Acting Judge Davis made the decision to revoke Murphy and Shafieka’s bail and place them behind bars until their 18 July sentencing.
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Picture: Kindel Media / Pexels
