Cape Town - The Khayelitsha Priority Court has sentenced a Cape Town pensioner to 14 years in prison.
Moegsien Haywood, 64, the father of the notorious “Closet Killer” Ziyaad Haywood, was convicted and sentenced on an array of charges, among them possession of a prohibited firearm, money laundering and gang-related offences under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
He is alleged to have procured firearms on the black market to help his son, Ziyaad, escape from police custody.
Ziyaad was a fugitive before his arrest in July 2018.
Grassy Park police found him hiding inside the closet of his parent’s home in Lotus River.
Haywood was also arrested for hiding his fugitive son.
At the time, Ziyaad was among the top 10 most wanted criminals in the Western Cape. He was wanted for various crimes including murder and robberies.
Less than a year later, and while out on bail, Haywood was bust during a sting operation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).
He tried to buy AK47 rifles, hand grenades and explosives which were to be used to bust his son out of custody.
Ziyaad faced 21 charges, among them murder, kidnapping and robbery. He was subsequently sentenced to three life terms after he entered into a plea agreement.
The spokesperson for the Hawks in the Western Cape, Zinzi Hani, said its Serious Organised Crime Investigation team was being lauded for its excellent investigation which had ensured a successful conviction.
“On May 15, 2019, information was received from a source that Haywood was looking to buy an AK47 assault rifle and hand grenades.
“As a result of this information, an operation was initiated whereby a transaction was conducted between the suspect and the police.
“During the operation, four suspects were arrested and five 9mm semi-automatic pistols were recovered from the suspects,” Hani said.
She said two vehicles, valued at R180 000, along with the R17 000 used for the transaction, were also recovered.
“Haywood was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for each of the five counts of illegal possession of prohibited firearm and nine years’ imprisonment for money laundering of which five years on each count was suspended to five years.
“The preservation and confiscation order was executed where all the above-mentioned seized items were forfeited to the State.
“The court ordered that all counts are to run concurrently… The accused will serve an effective 14 years’ direct imprisonment,” Hani said.
The matter against Haywood’s three co-accused is expected to be back in court on January 19, 2023, for further trial.
The trio are out on warning.
The provincial head of the Hawks, General Mathpa Makgato, commended the investigation team and the National Prosecuting Authority for securing a sentence against Haywood.
IOL