Pollsmoor Prison management explain Modack court arrival delays

Proceedings in the trial of alleged underworld boss Nafiz Modack and co-accused were halted as Pollsmoor Prison management appeared in the High Court in Cape Town following formal subpoenas.

The appearance followed several days of severe logistical delays that had disrupted the court, though on Wednesday awaiting-trial prisoners arrived on time.

Judge Robert Henney sharply criticised Pollsmoor Remand Facility Head, Andrew Waarnar, after Modack and co-accused arrived over an hour late at court on two consecutive days.

Waarnar explained that about 17 awaiting-trial prisoners, including four Modack co-accused, share a single vehicle.

“The four accused in this case are ready from past eight in the morning.

So, they could be in time here, but the challenge is that they utilise one vehicle for all of them.

If one vehicle separately can be only for the four, then, as I’ve said, my lordship, then this won’t happen again under my watch.” Waarnar says disruptive gang members also trigger security bottlenecks and cause delays.

He explained that transport delays are caused by intense morning security and processing routines, including mandatory medical checks, inmate verification and strict gang separation protocols.

Judge Henney rejected the idea that criminal gangs can dictate court schedules.

“If all of them must be transported in one vehicle, so be it.

You cannot be dictated (to) by one gang, or a gang.

That can also not happen under our watch,” said the judge.

Following the proceedings into logistical delays, accused Amaal Jantjies returned to the witness stand to face cross-examination regarding her alleged ties to Modack.

Jantjies told the court she was given the residential address of the late anti-gang unit detective Charles Kinnear during a November 2019 meeting involving former anti-gang unit General Andre Lincoln.