The National Coloured Congress believes the recent action against its leader, Fadiel Adams, is a smear campaign.
Adams was arrested by the Political Killings Task Team in Cape Town and made his first court appearance in KwaZulu-Natal last week for allegedly interfering with the investigation into the 2017 murder of ANC youth league leader Sindiso Magaqa.
The National Coloured Congress believes the recent action against its leader, Fadiel Adams, is a smear campaign.
Adams was arrested by the Political Killings Task Team in Cape Town and made his first court appearance in KwaZulu-Natal last week for allegedly interfering with the investigation into the 2017 murder of ANC youth league leader Sindiso Magaqa.
During a media briefing, his party criticised the SAPS and Parliament, which claim Adams unlawfully met with an individual, implicated in the case, who was in police custody.
However, the party’s Sakiena Frenchman argues that Adams acted within his right as a member of Parliament. She addressed the media on Sunday, days after Adam’s first court appearance.
“Under the Correctional Services Act and the Standing Rules of Parliament, members of the relevant portfolio committees have the right to visit correctional centers and interview inmates as part of their oversight work. This makes the meeting itself legally sanctioned in terms of the law,” said Sakiena.
She added that any failure to seek permission from the Chairperson of Parliament Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, would amount to “an HR issue, not a criminal one”.
Frenchman further described Adam’s arrest as politically motivated and aimed at discrediting Adams over corruption allegations he had previously raised.
“The arrest of Honourable Adams is merely a smear campaign, which is intended to cast a shadow and doubt on brazen alleged corruption raised by him. We are greatly concerned that this arrest, its merits, and the events surrounding the actions of the SAPS… is fraught with intentional errors that contravene many national government laws and most importantly, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.”
Adams is due to return to court for a bail application on Wednesday.
