National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams was arrested by the PKTT at the Parliamentary Village Pelican Park.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Media
National Coloured Congress’s (NCC) leader and MP Fadiel Adams has maintained his innocence ahead of a court appearance on charges of fraud and defeating and or obstructing the course of justice.
Adams answered several questions while he was being taken into police custody outside his home within the Parliamentary village Tuesday afternoon.
When asked how he felt about sitting in the back of the police van, Adams replied: “I probably needed a holiday anyway.”
Adams is expected to appear in court in KwaZulu-Natal.
Adams was arrested after a statement was released by the South African Police Service (SAPS) detailing that the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) wanted Adams to present himself at his nearest police station.
SAPS had a warrant for his arrest relating to allegations that he interfered with ongoing investigations into the murder of late ANC Youth League Leader, Sindiso Magaqa.
Police claimed that through investigations, the PKTT team discovered that Adams interfered with the now-convicted and sentenced hitman at a very sensitive and advanced stage of the investigation.
SAPS said that Adams was scheduled to appear before a KwaZulu-Natal court on Monday but failed to do so.
Before his arrest, Adams levelled accusations against SAPS and KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi after he claimed that members of the PKTT stormed a house he previously owned in Mitchell’s Plain, on Saturday.
Adams and Mkhwanazi have been in each other’s cross-hairs with Mkhwanazi claiming at the Parliament Ad Hoc Committee hearings that Adams used a blue light escort to the prison in Westville.
Adams maintained that he was escorted by metro police, not the SAPS, to the Westville Prison. He said that he was on official duty and he went to the prison to interview the convicted killer of Magaqa.
Adams told the media that he placed blame for his predicament on Crime Intelligence boss Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo.
“I've done nothing wrong. What they're accusing me of is something that happened a year ago, when I took a statement from the man who killed Magaqa, who implicates General Khumalo. The same General Khumalo heads the PKTT; the same General Khumalo who is before the courts. He's an alleged criminal because of charges that I laid.”
Adams had said that he had told NCC members months ago that he would be facing arrest.
“I've been telling them for the last six months, you will open the news one day, you will see that I've been shot or arrested. I've been warning them that this is coming 'cause I know how these people operate.”
Adams had taken issue with the lack of information he had received from SAPS regarding why he had to hand himself over, and he had launched a high court application to get more information from SAPS regarding their warrant of arrest.
NCC spokesperson, Dean Goliath, said that the party has strongly condemned “the unlawful and deeply troubling arrest”.
“It is important to note that the High Court, in documentation issued today, explicitly stated that the execution of Mr. Adams’ arrest should not take place. Despite this clear legal directive, the arrest was carried out, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the rule of law and judicial authority.
“The NCC views this action as not only unlawful but also cruel, an affront to justice, and a dangerous precedent for the treatment of political leaders who defend the rights and dignity of our communities,” Goliath said.
“When the forces of power choose to ignore the law in pursuit of their self-serving agendas, it threatens the very foundation of democracy and the principles of fairness we uphold.”
Cape Times