Policemen’s alleged plot to kill a rival Chatsworth drug dealer was ‘recorded’

A SAPS crime intelligence officer and a metro police constable accused of plotting to kill a Bayview drug dealer after their “friendship turned sour”, have been released on bail.

Constable Waseem Gani, 33, from the SAPS Crime Intelligence Unit in Pinetown, and Constable Winston Chetty, 35, from the metro police based at Albert Park, in central Durban, appeared in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court on Friday, on charges of conspiracy to commit murder against an alleged drug dealer in Bayview.

Magistrate Stephanie Botes granted each bail of R4 000.

Chetty’s brother, Wayne Chetty, 34, was shot dead in a drive-by shooting on the Bayview off-ramp on May 12, 2022.

State prosecutor, Dayantha Subrayadu, told the court that even though the duo were charged with a schedule one offence, the charges against them were serious because they were police officers. She said Gani and Chetty allegedly conspired with someone who owed them money, to take down a rival drug dealer.

The State opposed bail and asked for a seven-day remand for further investigations. However, the bail hearing went ahead, with a summary of affidavits presented by the accused’s attorneys.

Gani’s attorney, Ridewaan Sayed, said his client was a police officer for eight years and was married.

“He lives with his mother, wife and grandmother in Bayview. He is not a flight risk. The State believes that if he is released on bail, he will be a potential risk to the witness. But he will be residing outside the Bayview area if he is granted bail.

“The complainant in the matter, who is the person who was the supposed target, was an alleged drug dealer arrested by my client (Gani). The complainant was found in possession of a large quantity of mandrax and cocaine. He has a pending matter at the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court,” Sayed told the court.

Chris Gounden, acting on behalf of Chetty, said Chetty was a father of one, who served as a metro police officer for 15 years.

“The State’s case is weak because the complainant was arrested two months ago for dealing in drugs. His (Chetty’s) name is on the search warrant and he arrested the complainant for dealing in a large quantity of drugs.

“The State’s witness, who made claims that the two were conspiring to kill the drug dealer, is a (drug) runner for the drug dealer. Chetty’s friend, who was arrested (with Chetty and Gani), was a civilian. He was released by police,” Gounden said.

Corruption

Two sources close to the investigation said the allegations of police corruption were not shocking.

“We know that police corruption is rife, and that drug dealers have been paying cops to conduct their illicit activities under the radar, or pay them to turn a blind eye. Some dealers even use cops for information, and reward them with cash and gifts.

“We have information alleging that the drug dealer was close friends with police officers. In recent months, the relationship turned sour. This is linked to the drug trade. Investigations revealed that a drug runner was nabbed while in the possession of drugs.

“He was allegedly given a firearm and R50 000 in cash and ordered to execute the killing of the drug dealer. This was in exchange for him not to go to jail for being in possession of the drugs. However, the drug runner did not execute the killing. Instead, he told the drug dealer about the alleged hit on his life “The drug dealer then made the runner call the men who had hired him, and he recorded the conversation between them.

“During the conversation, the drug runner was told to follow the drug dealer and ‘take him out’ and to make it seem as if another drug dealer had killed him,” the source said.

“The dealer then took the recording to police, and opened a charge. It is shocking that a drug dealer, who conducts  illicit activities freely, now seeks protection from the police.”

THE POST