Relatives of crime intelligence officer Captain Carrim Alli reacted with relief on Wednesday to the conviction of a police sergeant and his business partner for his murder. However, the family said they believe the whole truth has not yet been revealed.
Judge Ronnie Bosielo convicted Sergeant Isa Mohammed (formerly known as Christo Duvenhage) and Tienie de Bruin on charges of murder, malicious damage to property, and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Alli’s brother, Ismail, however said he and his family believe the men behind his brother’s murder are still living comfortably in the community and that the accused were only used as ”foot soldiers”.
Bosielo rejected the two’s protestations of innocence and found that both had been present on the night in October 2004 when Alli and his car were set alight on a lonely farm road outside Pretoria.
The still-smouldering Alli, with smoke billowing out of his mouth, told four witnesses who came to his rescue that Isa Mohammed was the man who had attacked him, even spelling out the name several times.
None of the witnesses knew either Alli or Mohammed at the time and had no reason to make up such a story.
Another witness saw a bakkie stopping next to Alli’s car seconds before it exploded in a ball of fire. He later identified De Bruin’s vehicle as similar to the vehicle he had seen that night.
Bosielo rejected Mohammed’s claims that he had handed secret information about police corruption to Alli shortly before his death and had accompanied him to the murder scene, but left him there with two unknown Nigerians.
He also rejected as far-fetched Mohammed’s claims that a senior police director and a prominent businessman were behind the murders and had involved De Bruin as the executioner.
Lies
He said Mohammed had blatantly lied to Alli’s best friend about his last meeting with Alli and told lies to the police after his arrest. He had also tried to rope in his male lover to create a false alibi to hide his involvement in the murder.
”It is clear to me that Mohammed’s version is littered with improbabilities, contradictions and blatant lies and that it cannot possibly be true. The illegal firearm in his possession was forensically linked to shots fired at Alli’s car at the murder scene. This is further irrefutable evidence that Mohammed was the one who had shot at the deceased that night.
”It is clear from the evidence that Mohammed and De Bruin had for a considerable time been involved in unlawful activities, falsifying VAT [value-added tax] certificates and handing in fraudulent tenders. They received huge amounts from the police to which they were not entitled.
”De Bruin, though a stooge for Mohammed, knowingly participated in the massive fraud against the police service. It is clear that at some stage Mohammed must have become uncomfortable that Alli had stumbled on to evidence which might incriminate him.
Both accused were directly threatened by the deceased’s investigations, the judge said.
”Mohammed’s allegation that Alli was investigating Director Nasser Mohammed for unlawful activities is patently untrue. He became uncomfortable by Alli’s investigation and suspected Alli would stumble on evidence which would implicate him and De Bruin and decided he must be eliminated.
”These are the only two who had a motive to eliminate the deceased. Both went out of their way to ensure they obtained the instruments necessary for the murder. They obtained the illegal firearm and petrol used to burn the deceased and his car. There is direct evidence that the firearm was used to shoot at Alli’s vehicle. Both were present at the scene,” Bosielo added.
Spectators at the trial on Wednesday spontaneously applauded when the two accused were led to the court cells, handcuffed to each other, after the judge revoked their bail. — Sapa