Publications
Cape Town – A well-known Western Cape attorney, who was linked to some of the province’s most high-profile gang cases, has been murdered, police confirmed on Tuesday.
Noorudien Hassan, 45, was shot several times while in a car outside his home in Lansdowne late on Monday.
It is understood that he died in hospital.
Police spokesperson Constable Noloyiso Rwexana said the shooting happened at 22:05 in Burwood Road.
One gunman was involved in the shooting and no arrests have been made, Rwexana said.
While some sources close to Hassan said his killing could be linked to his work, Rwexana said "the motive for the murder is yet to be established".
Pete Mihalik, an advocate who worked with Hassan, said: "He believed that everybody had a right to a fair trial, as our Constitution demands.
"He was prepared to fearlessly defend that right."
Monday night was not the first time Hassan had been targeted.
In May two years ago, an explosive device was thrown at his home.
Hassan had not been there at the time, but relatives were and managed to escape unscathed.
He was among a team of attorneys representing Irshaad Laher, who is facing charges for allegedly channelling guns meant for destruction by police, to gang bosses around the Western Cape.
Represented a number of gang leaders
Hassan also acted on behalf of alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield, the nephew of the late Cape Town druglord Colin Stanfield.
He also represented Jerome "Donkie" Booysen, who four years ago was named as the head of the Sexy Boys gang during a court case.
About five years ago, it emerged that Booysen was a suspect in underworld figure Cyril Beeka’s 2011 murder.
At that time, during the bail application of Serbian fugitive Dobrosav Gavric in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, the investigating officer, Captain Paul Hendrikse, had testified that Booysen was a suspect in the Beeka murder.
Gavric, who is wanted in Serbia for murdering two people and assassinating Serbia’s most feared warlord, Zeljko Raznatovic, was driving the vehicle in which Beeka was shot dead.
Hendrikse had testified that shortly before Beeka was killed, Beeka and Gavric had visited Booysen at his Belhar home.
Hassan was also previously involved in representing members of Cape Town's notorious nightclub bouncer industry.
Anyone with information about Hassan’s murder should contact the Lansdowne police detectives on 021 700 9000 or 082 567 2804 or CrimeStop on 08600 10111.
