Retired SAPS captain calls Bevan Loftus ‘notorious’ as father rejects drug-kingpin claims
Houston said Bevan had previously been seen associating with members of a dangerous gang, challenging his father Gregory Loftus’s insistence that his son was a legitimate businessman with no involvement in crime.
Retired police captain Ashley Houston described deceased alleged drug kingpin Bevan Loftus as "notorious" and placed him among feared criminal figures in KwaZulu-Natal, during testimony before the Madlanga Commission. Houston, who responded to the shooting that killed Loftus and four others in April 2023, testified that Loftus had been seen associating with members of the dangerous Hollywood gang.
This contradicts Loftus's father, Gregory, who testified that his son was a legitimate businessman with no involvement in crime. Gregory denied all allegations, stating that Bevan earned his living through towing and taxi businesses. Houston, who identified Loftus and Ryan Santos at the scene, described Loftus as "notorious" based on his previous encounters with him.
Loftus, according to Houston, had been seen sitting with the Hollywood gang, a feared criminal group involved in violent conflicts. The testimony comes as the commission investigates the circumstances surrounding the 2023 shooting, with the investigation team alleging that Hawks officer Colonel Deena Govender was paid around R2.7 million to kill Bevan.
Gregory Loftus has alleged that tow-truck business competitor Clive Naicker ordered the hit. However, there is little evidence linking Bevan to the cases claimed by the task team. Govender has yet to respond to the allegations.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
