The investigation into the kidnapping of businessman Jerry Boshoga is still under way following the return of the docket to the investigating team that was replaced by another without the knowledge of the National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola.

Testifying before the Ad Hoc Committee, Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo said the case was under investigation, but it has had challenges.

“During that time, the team was working on the case as instructed by the national commissioner. Soon after the (December 6, 2024) operation, that case was reallocated by Deputy National Commissioner, General Sibiya, to another team.

“So up until recently, the national commissioner directed that the team resume the investigation of the said case,” he said.

Khumalo said the team that was initially assigned to the Boshoga’s kidnapping case had been at an advanced stage when there was a take-down operation by the Gauteng Counter Intelligence Operation, assisted by the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), at the residence of attempted murder-accused tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.

Asked about what had happened to the initial investigating team, Khumalo said Masemola did not instruct its withdrawal, but it was a parallel team set up by Sibiya.

“One would not expect what the national commissioner instructed, and then someone comes to instruct otherwise. It was a chaotic moment.”

He confirmed that there has never been an opportunity for Sibiya to explain why he took that decision of changing an existing team appointed by Masemola.

“There has never been an explanation,” the crime intelligence boss said.

Khumalo said they had thought that there was a discussion between Masemola and Sibiya to change the initial investigative team, only to learn when reporting to the national commissioner that the docket was no longer with them.

Asked whether it was ordinary for Sibiya to change teams, Khumalo said it was not and that it was not in line with the discipline expected in the SAPS.

“One would always presume the instruction from the national deputy commissioner is something discussed with the national commissioner,” he said.

 This prompted MK Party MP Sibonelo Nomvalo to describe Sibiya’s action as extra-ordinary.

“He did the unprecedented,” Nomvalo said.

According to Khumalo, he had reported to Masemola that the docket was moved from the team he had directed to investigate to another team.

“That happened during this most confusing and busiest period, where these issues were taking place. It took long for the national commissioner to re-assign the investigation to the team.”

He would not specify the time it took to reinstate the initial investigative team to the kidnapping case.

“It took long, but I don’t have a specific time. It took a few months for it to be corrected.”

Khumalo said he expected analysis from the team on the docket on the work done up to date from the period it was reassigned to another team.

In his earlier evidence, Khumalo told the Ad Hoc Committee that the raid conducted at Matlala’s residence on December 6, 2024, was done on the same day another was carried out at the house of Katiso “TK” Molefe, the man accused of killing DJ Sumbody.

“It was two operations in one on the same day. We were conducting a lawful search without a warrant based on the information we had, which was on the verge of disappearing if we did not act.”

He said a team from the Special Task Force was roped in from another province to assist the Gauteng Counter-Intelligence operation.

“We knew that around Matlala, there were former Special Task Force members. It was a surprise search operation.”

He said the operation was in connection with the case of the kidnapping of Boshoga that the team was investigating with a view to getting evidence that the team was convinced was there.

“It was one of the incidents when we got there, they were informed by Matlala that he was waiting and was aware when they were preparing to advance.”

Khumalo said that during that operation, it was found that Matlala was not in compliance with the Firearm Control Act.

“Four of his firearms and five cellphones were confiscated so that the investigation could continue.” 

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za

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