Cape Town - A former police officer accused of colluding with alleged underworld kingpin Nafiz Modack has lodged an appeal against the refusal to release him on bail at the Western Cape High Court.
Just weeks after he abruptly fired his legal representatives and opted to defend himself in the mammoth murder trial next year, Ashley “Puppy” Tabisher has dropped another bombshell, accusing Judge Mark Sher of making errors in his judgment to deny his application.
The former sergeant from the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) was arrested in his Elsies River home several years ago after the Hawks swooped in on Modack and his co-accused.
During early court proceedings it was revealed that the State believes that a corrupt relationship existed between the officer and an alleged gangster, Jannick Adonis, and his girlfriend, Amaal Jantjies.
The State’s case is that the notorious couple were allegedly working with AGU by providing information on the location of firearms in an attempt to ensure that Adonis was granted bail as he appeared on a separate matter at Khayelitsha Priority Court.
The State alleges that Tabisher had agreed to receive a payment of R10 000 from Jantjies in exchange for information about when AGU had planned to conduct raids at properties owned by Modack.
Tabisher has continually denied this, stating that he was instructed by former AGU head, Major-General Andre Lincoln, to communicate with Jantjies and that he was part of a group of officers assigned to bring Adonis to the AGU base after his court appearance despite court paperwork indicating that he should be returned to Helderstroom Prison.
In his judgment, Judge Sher stated that Tabisher’s arguments that other officers charged with corruption did not have their bail opposed by the State as “misplaced”.
In his appeal, Tabisher said Judge Sher erred when he dismissed his application, saying the evidence showed that he would not endanger the safety of any person, evade trial or commit an offence.In his address at court during his latest pre-trial, Tabisher slammed the State for not opposing the bail of another AGU officer, who is set to stand trial alongside Mark Lifman and alleged Sexy Boys gang boss Jerome “Donkie” Booysen on similar charges.
“Here I’m before court and boldly saying I am innocent. The State knows they don’t have any evidence of me receiving money and a cellphone.
“Last, I hope you sleep well knowing an innocent man is in prison for a crime he didn’t commit and having to miss out on the third Christmas away from his family,” his statement reads.