By Johnathan Paoli
National Coloured Congress (NCC) leader Fadiel Adams is being transported to KwaZulu-Natal in police custody, with his party alleging he was denied access to medication and treated “like a criminal” during his arrest.
Adams was arrested at his Parliamentary Village home in Pelican Park, Cape Town, on Tuesday morning.
He was later processed at Cape Town Central police station before being transported to KwaZulu-Natal, where he is expected to face further proceedings on charges of fraud and defeating or obstructing the ends of justice.
Adams, who is a Member of Parliament, is also linked to an ongoing investigation into alleged interference in the 2017 murder case of former ANC Youth League secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa.
Police said Adams was taken into custody after he failed to hand himself over in connection with an investigation linked to the 2017 murder of former ANC Youth League secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa.
The warrant of arrest is understood to form part of an ongoing probe into alleged interference in the Magaqa murder investigation.
The NCC said Adams was removed from his home in “dramatic fashion” and transported in a police van out of the Western Cape shortly after his arrest.
Party treasurer-general Ebrahim Barton said Adams was denied access to medication during the arrest.
“As we’re speaking, they are taking him to KZN. He’s been treated like a criminal and placed in the back of a police van without his medication. We asked that his wife bring it, but they refused to wait,” Barton said.
He added that the party’s legal team had obtained a court order compelling police to provide the arrest warrant and supporting affidavits.
“The judge ordered them to provide the warrant of arrest, which they have done, but they have not submitted the affidavits. Our lawyers will serve the order on General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi,” he said.
NCC secretary-general Sakiena Frenchman questioned the decision to transport Adams across provinces instead of processing him in Cape Town.
“He will appear tomorrow morning. They don’t want him to appear in Cape Town because in KZN they will have the upper hand. Our concern is what happens during the transfer,” she said.
Frenchman also defended Adams’ engagement with convicted hitman Sibusiso Ncengwa, who is linked to the Magaqa murder, saying Ncengwa had already been sentenced and sought to disclose further information.
“This man wanted his day in court to tell what happened. Fadiel Adams took that affidavit to the Police Portfolio Committee and asked what action would be taken,” she said.
She suggested Adams was being targeted for exposing alleged wrongdoing within law enforcement.
Meanwhile, Police Portfolio Committee chairperson Ian Cameron questioned Adams’ conduct, particularly his claim that he visited Ncengwa at Westville Prison in an official capacity.
“That is incorrect. He was not mandated to go there as a member of the committee,” Cameron told SABC.
He said MPs serving on the committee are not authorised to conduct investigations or interrogate inmates.
Cameron described the matter as a possible breach of trust, adding that Adams’ continued role on the committee may be in question.
“I am not comfortable with him serving on the committee any longer. There is a direct conflict of interest,” he said.
Parliament is expected to consider the matter further once guidance is received from the Speaker.
Earlier on Tuesday, SAPS had called on Adams to hand himself over after he failed to appear in a KwaZulu-Natal court on Monday.
INSIDE POLITICS
