Police say National Colored Congress leader Fadiel Adams interfered with investigations into the killing of an ANC Youth League figure in 2017
South African MP and National Colored Congress leader Fadiel Adams has been arrested in Cape Town over fraud and obstruction charges linked to alleged interference in the investigation into the 2017 murder of ANC Youth League figure Sindiso Magaqa, police have said.
This comes after he was instructed by the Political Killings Task Team to present himself at his nearest police station in connection with charges related to fraud and defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
Adams was arrested by PKTT members after handing himself over at Parliament Village on Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said its Political Killings Task Team had called on Adams to present himself at his nearest police station. National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said officers were in possession of a J50 warrant for Adams’ arrest.
“The warrant relates to serious allegations that he interfered with ongoing investigations into the murder of the late ANC Youth League leader, Mr Sindiso Magaqa,” Mathe said. She said investigators had found that Adams allegedly interfered with a convicted hitman at a sensitive and advanced stage of the probe.
On Sunday, IOL News reported that Adams had made a series of allegations against SAPS and KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, claiming members of the Political Killings Task Team had raided a house he previously owned in Mitchell’s Plain.
Speaking at a media briefing at Parliament, Adams alleged that about 15 task team members stormed a house in Westridge on Saturday in search of him.
He claimed officers did not produce a search or arrest warrant and alleged they pointed rifles at a woman, assaulted a 12-year-old boy and traumatized a family while searching the wrong property.
Adams said he had sold the property a few weeks earlier and no longer lived there. “With a budget of hundreds of millions of rand a year, this corrupt unit cannot even get an address right,” he said, adding that an innocent teacher had rifles pointed at her and her husband was forced to lie on the ground.
He said he had opened a case of intimidation against SAPS and alleged the raid was orchestrated by Mkhwanazi. When asked why there was no photographic evidence of the alleged raid, Adams said residents were too afraid to take pictures.
He also addressed claims that he used a blue-light escort to Westville Prison, saying he had been escorted by metro police while carrying out official duties to interview Magaqa’s convicted killer. According to Adams, the hitman had provided a written statement alleging police involvement in the crime and was willing to testify without seeking any benefit.
Adams criticized Mkhwanazi, saying he had not sent officers to obtain the statement and had instead implied to Parliament that Adams had committed a crime. He said he had contacted acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia and acting national police commissioner Major General Puleng Dimpane but had received no response.
Adams also shared emails he claimed were from Mkhwanazi regarding the warrant and communication with investigators, as well as a letter from the NCC outlining contact details for his legal representative.
Police have not publicly responded to Adams’ allegations.