Alleged Cape Town underworld boss Nafiz Modack has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for corruption, though he will serve an effective seven years after part of the sentence was suspended.
The 44-year-old appeared before the Cape Town regional court in South Africa, where the judgment was delivered. According to the Hawks, Modack was found guilty of paying nearly R150,000 to Brigadier Kolindren Govender in exchange for preferential treatment.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi explained that Modack was convicted on June 6. “It was reported Modack was involved in criminal activities with the former senior police officer, Brigadier Kolindren Govender. The latter had since pleaded guilty and been sentenced. Investigation by the Hawks’ serious corruption investigation unit revealed that Modack acted with common purpose by paying gratification totalling R146,000 to Govender in return for special treatment,” Vukubi said.
The investigation uncovered that Govender shielded Modack from law enforcement scrutiny, including blocking attempts to seize a Mercedes-Benz central to an ongoing case. Vukubi noted that Govender also prevented cooperation between officers of the South African Police Service, undermining an active investigation at Cape Town Central.
Modack, who has also been linked to the murder of anti-gang unit detective Lieutenant Colonel Charl Kinnear, has long been a controversial figure in Cape Town’s underworld. His sentencing is seen as a significant outcome in the state’s broader effort to tackle corruption and organized crime.