Post by ~Wizeguy~ on Oct 22, 2003 21:49:11 GMT -5
'Gangsters will fall - and they'll fall hard'
By Joseph Aranes & Yunus Kemp
The untouchable "high flyers" of the criminal underworld are finally having their wings clipped.
The police have labelled at least 50 gang leaders across the Western Cape as "high flyers" and since the beginning of the year have arrested at least a dozen, breaking the back of their crime networks.
Gang leaders such as Hard Livings boss Rashied "Ling" Staggie, Junior Mafia kingpin Mujahid "Mujait" Daniels, alleged abalone poaching-ring boss Ernie "Lastig" Solomon, alleged Mandrax crime syndicate boss Kiyaam Rinquest, and the likes of Americans gang leader Moegamat "Dimes" Madatt have all been arrested and charged with various crimes during the past few months.
And police and prosecuting authorities have adopted an integrated approach aimed at putting behind bars these individuals who, for so long, have lived their lives in luxury funded by ill-gotten gains - while imposing a reign of terror in communities.
Provincial Commissioner Mzwandile Petros said police had arrested 272 top gangsters since January.
"We have set the goal for police stations that they arrest at least one high-flyer in their areas each month. These guys usually operate only in their areas ... they can be seen as small fry, but in their areas they are considered big bosses.
"The bigger fish are the focus of more intense police scrutiny, which involves our area and provincial offices."
He said the Mr Bigs ran operations across the province or even countrywide - and some had links with international crime syndicates. So they had the cash to employ top lawyers to defend them.
But the police were making inroads into freezing their assets, Petros said.
A few months back the assets forfeiture unit seized suspected stolen goods worth thousands of rands from the Stikland home of alleged druglord Kiyaam Rinquest.
The order sought to freeze assets amounting to about R3-million. He is believed to own several homes, a fleet of luxury vehicles and other valuable assets.
Rinquest, it was understood, was part of an underground drug and perlemoen syndicate operating in the Western Cape and was linked to similar rings in Gauteng.
Petros said detectives worked hard to ensure that cases against alleged crime lords were "tight" by the time they went to court.
"We have agreed with the director of public prosecutions (DPP) that we will oppose bail in the strongest terms and do enough to secure convictions," he said.
Specialist prosecutors have been appointed to tackle the cases involving high-flyers.
Petros said the DPP had prioritised these cases and had appointed a deputy to co-ordinate investigations. This person was working closely with the police legal department.
Community Safety MEC Leonard Ramatlakane said the arrests were the result of an anti-gang strategy adopted by all the crime-fighting chiefs, who were on a ministerial monitoring committee.
Other items high on the committee's agenda were the high murder rate and violence against women and children.
"We have put strategies in place to identify the 'who's who' of the criminal world. For example, if we know who Ernie 'Lastig' Solomon is, then we need a focused plan to tackle him," Ramatlakane said.
The strategy included a plan to deal with the entire crime network.
"But it will take time to resolve. It will also mean changing the socio-economic situation on the ground.
"We are dealing with gangsterism as an alternative economy. The power that these high-flyers wield is almost Mafia-style and is quite frightening," said Ramatlakane.
He praised individuals in communities for their part in the current successes of this anti-gang strategy.
"We are getting a lot of co-operation and information from... communities."
He had a warning for corrupt police in cahoots with gangsters. "Our strategy is starting to unravel corruption. We are closing the space for criminals and also closing space for the rotten apples within the police."
THE TOP CATCHES
Basil "Biza" Stevens, 35
Residence: Nooitgedacht
Gang: 28s
Arrested: Out on bail.
Charges: Murder, attempted murder, assault, possession of dagga, malicious damage to property.
Next court date: Cases still under investigation.
Vaughan Stephen Vester, 33
Residence: Wesbank
Gang: Americans/26s.
Arrested: Out on bail.
Charges: Attempted murder, defeating ends of justice, arson.
Next court date: October 23.
Mayon Mackenna, 34
Residence: Ravensmead
Gang: Americans/26s
Arrested: Out on bail
Charges: Housebreaking, rape, possession of dagga, possession of unlicensed firearm, assault, resisting arrest.
Next court date: February 9
Garron "Slams" Potts, 31
Residence: Eerste River
Gang: Dixie Boys
Arrested: August 6
Charges: Rape, robbery, theft, assault, armed robbery.
Next court date: Cases still under investigation.
Ferdinand "Ferdie" Jacobs, 45
Residence: Steenberg
Gang: 26s
Arrested: Out on bail of R1 500
Charges: Attempted murder, selling liquor without a licence.
Next court date: October 24
Hampshire "Hempies" Brown, 33
Residence: Eerste River
Gang: 28s
Arrested: Out on bail.
Charges: Assault, possession of dagga, reckless and negligent driving, nine counts of selling liquor without licence.
Next court date: Cases still under investigation.
Mujahid "Mujait" Daniels, 32
Residence: Woodstock
Gang: Leader of Junior Mafias
Arrested: Still in custody
Charges: Murder, robberies and various others pending.
Next court date: October 21
Ernest "Lastig" Solomon, 45
Residence: Hawston
Gang: The Firm/28s
Arrested: Out on bail
Charges: Possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition, defeating ends of justice, assault, robbery, housebreaking.
Next court date: Docket sent to Director of Public Prosecutions on August 18.
Kiyaam Rinquest, 41
Residence: Stikland
Gang: Crime syndicate leader.
Arrested: June. Out on R50 000 bail
Charges: Possession of Mandrax worth R20 million. In Cape High Court papers he is referred to as a leading figure in the drug and perlemoen syndicate crime environment.
Next court date: November 3.
Igshaan Marcus, 31
Residence: Hanover Park.
Gang: Americans
Arrested: Out on bail.
Charges: Possession of dagga, housebreaking, theft.
Next court date: Cases still under investigation.
Rashied "Ling" Staggie, 48
Residence: Boston
Gang: Hard Livings
Arrested: Convicted for rape, out on bail pending appeal.
Other charges: Possession of dagga, housebreaking, possession of a weapon without licence, resisting arrest, attempting to escape.
By Joseph Aranes & Yunus Kemp
The untouchable "high flyers" of the criminal underworld are finally having their wings clipped.
The police have labelled at least 50 gang leaders across the Western Cape as "high flyers" and since the beginning of the year have arrested at least a dozen, breaking the back of their crime networks.
Gang leaders such as Hard Livings boss Rashied "Ling" Staggie, Junior Mafia kingpin Mujahid "Mujait" Daniels, alleged abalone poaching-ring boss Ernie "Lastig" Solomon, alleged Mandrax crime syndicate boss Kiyaam Rinquest, and the likes of Americans gang leader Moegamat "Dimes" Madatt have all been arrested and charged with various crimes during the past few months.
And police and prosecuting authorities have adopted an integrated approach aimed at putting behind bars these individuals who, for so long, have lived their lives in luxury funded by ill-gotten gains - while imposing a reign of terror in communities.
Provincial Commissioner Mzwandile Petros said police had arrested 272 top gangsters since January.
"We have set the goal for police stations that they arrest at least one high-flyer in their areas each month. These guys usually operate only in their areas ... they can be seen as small fry, but in their areas they are considered big bosses.
"The bigger fish are the focus of more intense police scrutiny, which involves our area and provincial offices."
He said the Mr Bigs ran operations across the province or even countrywide - and some had links with international crime syndicates. So they had the cash to employ top lawyers to defend them.
But the police were making inroads into freezing their assets, Petros said.
A few months back the assets forfeiture unit seized suspected stolen goods worth thousands of rands from the Stikland home of alleged druglord Kiyaam Rinquest.
The order sought to freeze assets amounting to about R3-million. He is believed to own several homes, a fleet of luxury vehicles and other valuable assets.
Rinquest, it was understood, was part of an underground drug and perlemoen syndicate operating in the Western Cape and was linked to similar rings in Gauteng.
Petros said detectives worked hard to ensure that cases against alleged crime lords were "tight" by the time they went to court.
"We have agreed with the director of public prosecutions (DPP) that we will oppose bail in the strongest terms and do enough to secure convictions," he said.
Specialist prosecutors have been appointed to tackle the cases involving high-flyers.
Petros said the DPP had prioritised these cases and had appointed a deputy to co-ordinate investigations. This person was working closely with the police legal department.
Community Safety MEC Leonard Ramatlakane said the arrests were the result of an anti-gang strategy adopted by all the crime-fighting chiefs, who were on a ministerial monitoring committee.
Other items high on the committee's agenda were the high murder rate and violence against women and children.
"We have put strategies in place to identify the 'who's who' of the criminal world. For example, if we know who Ernie 'Lastig' Solomon is, then we need a focused plan to tackle him," Ramatlakane said.
The strategy included a plan to deal with the entire crime network.
"But it will take time to resolve. It will also mean changing the socio-economic situation on the ground.
"We are dealing with gangsterism as an alternative economy. The power that these high-flyers wield is almost Mafia-style and is quite frightening," said Ramatlakane.
He praised individuals in communities for their part in the current successes of this anti-gang strategy.
"We are getting a lot of co-operation and information from... communities."
He had a warning for corrupt police in cahoots with gangsters. "Our strategy is starting to unravel corruption. We are closing the space for criminals and also closing space for the rotten apples within the police."
THE TOP CATCHES
Basil "Biza" Stevens, 35
Residence: Nooitgedacht
Gang: 28s
Arrested: Out on bail.
Charges: Murder, attempted murder, assault, possession of dagga, malicious damage to property.
Next court date: Cases still under investigation.
Vaughan Stephen Vester, 33
Residence: Wesbank
Gang: Americans/26s.
Arrested: Out on bail.
Charges: Attempted murder, defeating ends of justice, arson.
Next court date: October 23.
Mayon Mackenna, 34
Residence: Ravensmead
Gang: Americans/26s
Arrested: Out on bail
Charges: Housebreaking, rape, possession of dagga, possession of unlicensed firearm, assault, resisting arrest.
Next court date: February 9
Garron "Slams" Potts, 31
Residence: Eerste River
Gang: Dixie Boys
Arrested: August 6
Charges: Rape, robbery, theft, assault, armed robbery.
Next court date: Cases still under investigation.
Ferdinand "Ferdie" Jacobs, 45
Residence: Steenberg
Gang: 26s
Arrested: Out on bail of R1 500
Charges: Attempted murder, selling liquor without a licence.
Next court date: October 24
Hampshire "Hempies" Brown, 33
Residence: Eerste River
Gang: 28s
Arrested: Out on bail.
Charges: Assault, possession of dagga, reckless and negligent driving, nine counts of selling liquor without licence.
Next court date: Cases still under investigation.
Mujahid "Mujait" Daniels, 32
Residence: Woodstock
Gang: Leader of Junior Mafias
Arrested: Still in custody
Charges: Murder, robberies and various others pending.
Next court date: October 21
Ernest "Lastig" Solomon, 45
Residence: Hawston
Gang: The Firm/28s
Arrested: Out on bail
Charges: Possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition, defeating ends of justice, assault, robbery, housebreaking.
Next court date: Docket sent to Director of Public Prosecutions on August 18.
Kiyaam Rinquest, 41
Residence: Stikland
Gang: Crime syndicate leader.
Arrested: June. Out on R50 000 bail
Charges: Possession of Mandrax worth R20 million. In Cape High Court papers he is referred to as a leading figure in the drug and perlemoen syndicate crime environment.
Next court date: November 3.
Igshaan Marcus, 31
Residence: Hanover Park.
Gang: Americans
Arrested: Out on bail.
Charges: Possession of dagga, housebreaking, theft.
Next court date: Cases still under investigation.
Rashied "Ling" Staggie, 48
Residence: Boston
Gang: Hard Livings
Arrested: Convicted for rape, out on bail pending appeal.
Other charges: Possession of dagga, housebreaking, possession of a weapon without licence, resisting arrest, attempting to escape.
Via mobbed up