Witness 'spilled the beans'

2003-03-26 23:19

Cape Town - The main state witness in a conspiracy-to-murder trial told the Cape High Court on Wednesday how he "spilled the beans" to the police about the alleged plot to assassinate magistrate Wilma van der Merwe, for fear of being jailed for murder.

Allistair Kerridge told the court: "I had spent nine months in prison awaiting trial in a fraud case, and did not want to go back to jail for murder."

He said confessed to his role in the plot after realising that Shaheem Ismail - the main accused in the conspiracy case - was serious about the murder, and that the alleged plot was no longer "just talk".

Ismail is in the dock, before Judge Hennie Erasmus and assessor Bob Martin, with five co-accused.

Still absent from the proceedings was another accused Roy Vlotman who is in hospital after suffering a stroke.

Kerridge, who had a cell next door to Ismail's at Pollsmoor Prison, described Ismail as the "ultimate manipulator", and the "mayor of Pollsmoor".

Ismail's manipulation had even his worst enemies "eating out of his hands", and gangsters bowing to him, he said.

Kerridge said Ismail had undertaken to look after him in prison, and to protect him from the gangs.

The reason for the plot to murder regional court magistrate Van der Merwe was she had refused to recuse herself from a murder trial in which Ismail was the accused.

Ismail had already been found guilty, and believed there would be a retrial if the magistrate were murdered.

In the confusion of such a retrial, he planned to have the police docket stolen, and hoped his case would be "thrown out" as a result.

Kerridge said that after his eventual release on bail on the fraud charge, Ismail asked him to oversee the assassination of Van der Merwe by securing a firearm and transport.

Had to be killed 'urgently'

He told the court of plans made in prison for Pagad (People Against Gangsterism and Drugs) killer Dawood Osman's escape, as well as for the murder of Cape High Court Judge Roger Cleaver, who had convicted Osman.

At one stage, Ismail had even planned his own escape, but when the three different plans came to nothing, the conspiracy to murder Van der Merwe started, he said.

Kerridge said he was worried about his involvement in the Van der Merwe conspiracy, and he told his mother the very people who had protected him in prison (at her request) now wanted a risky favour from him - his help in the assassination.

His mother told him to "do what you think is right", but not to land in trouble.

After considering his position, he decided to spill the beans to the police.

The investigating officer, Captain Johan van Dyk, had later warned him Ismail would "come for me", but Kerridge decided nevertheless to let the planned assassination proceed, with the police secretly in control.

Kerridge told the court: "I had to work with the police, or face the consequences."

A police trap was set, with Kerridge keeping Van Dyk fully updated about the assassination plans.

Soon before three men proceeded to Van der Merwe's home to carry out the plans, Ismail, in a fit of anger, had referred to Van der Merwe as "a bitch, a slut, a whore, and a disgusting person who had to be killed urgently".

The accused have all pleaded not guilty to a main count of conspiracy to murder. They also face two alternative charges - attempted murder, and incitement to commit murder or the procurement of persons to commit murder.

They have also pleaded not guilty to two counts relating to the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

The hearing continues on Thursday.

- SAPA