Cape Town – A Lotus River father who is also believed to be a leader of the People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad) G-Force will ring in the new year behind bars, as will his two sons after he was accused of plotting to commit murder.
Moegsien Barendse, 62, was arrested on Wednesday by the Hawks for allegedly conspiring to kill the investigating officer and the magistrate who is presiding over his sons, Ebrahim and Yusuf’s, bail applications.
According to Western Cape Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani, Barendse made a brief appearance in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on the same day of his arrest on a charge of conspiracy to commit murder.
While this was the first time Barendse was arrested, he has been previously apprehended by police for alleged intimidation of witnesses in the same case involving his sons.
“Barendse is alleged to have conspired to murder the investigating officer and the magistrate who is presiding over his son’s bail application.
This comes after the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State team based in Bellville received a complaint of conspiracy to commit murder on November 18, 2022,” said Hani.
“The information was then followed up and through an extensive investigation, the information revealed that Barendse conspired with other members of PAGAD G-Force to assassinate the two officials.”
The matter against Barendse was postponed to January 17 for bail application. Hani confirmed on Thursday that the dad was remanded.
It is not yet clear whether more arrests in the matter will be made.
Barendse’s sons, Ebrahim and Yusuf, and co-accused Ishmaeel Armadien were denied bail on December 12 as they face three counts of murder and four of attempted murder.
Their attempts to convince the court through their lawyers that they ought to be released on bail as the State’s case against them was “lacking in substance”, were unsuccessful.
The three men were arrested on September 8, which was hailed a breakthrough by anti-gang unit detectives, six months after scrapyard owner Ricardo de Jager, 46, and his employees Thys Meyer and Adnan Jacobs were killed at the Victoria Lodge informal settlement in Southfield on March 30.
The Pagad G-Force did not respond to a request for comment by the publication deadline.
Cape Times
