Hawks accused of obstructing high-profile arrest
Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo yesterday accused the Hawks and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) of obstructing and defeating the ends of justice at the Sandhurst home of murder-accused businessman, Katiso 'KT' Molefe, on 6 December.
Khumalo was testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry which is investigating the allegations of collusion and corruption between politicians, senior police, prosecutors, intelligence operatives, and elements of the judiciary.
The Star reports that he said the Hawks team was allegedly activated under the pretence of police impersonation to disrupt the genuine operation.
This was after the Hawks team, under the Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS) attached to the Hawks, went to the home of Molefe, where a takedown operation was underway by the Gauteng Counter-Intelligence operations (GCI ops).
The Hawks members were allegedly aggressive to the team effecting a J50 (arrest) of Molefe, and asked questions about the case, the J50, who was being arrested, and the case number. The team refused to disclose the information, citing the sensitive nature of the case.
And Khumalo claimed that police investigations have allegedly linked Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya to criminal syndicates.
The Cape Times reports that Khumalo said Sergeant Fannie Nkosi, a detective attached to Sibiya's office, was the link between Sibiya and Molefe. Nkosi was recently named at the commission as an alleged intermediary in a kickback network involving a R360m SAPS tender, where kickbacks from attempted murder accused tenderpreneur Vusimuzi ‘Cat' Matlala were sent to Sibiya via Nkosi.
News24 reports that Khumalo told the commission that police investigating Sibiya’s alleged links to criminal cartels had also confirmed that the now-suspended general used a Toyota Hilux double cab bakkie belonging to convicted criminal Stuart James Scharnick.
Scharnick faced 34 charges and was convicted of 18, including carjacking, car theft, assault GBH, and malicious damage to property, between 2010 and 2012.
'There are lots of questions,' Khumalo said, in relation to what evidence leader Adila Hassim SC described as Scharnick’s 'long rap sheet' of 'serious crimes'.
Article disclaimer: While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this article, it is not intended to provide final legal advice as facts and situations will differ from case to case, and therefore specific legal advice should be sought with a lawyer.
