The SAPS Divisional Commissioner for Crime Intelligence, Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo, has 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 December 06, 2024.

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. 

He told the commission on Tuesday that 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 under way 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. 

There was also an involvement of a helicopter belonging to the Gauteng Traffic Police Airwing, which hovered very low above Molefe’s home.

The Hawks team had been sent by their commander, Brigadier Lesiba ‘Kleintjie’ Mokoena, to establish if this was a legitimate operation, and if any of the team members had claimed that they were sent by the now-retired head of Hawks, Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya.

At least four witnesses had previously indicated that they viewed the presence of the Hawks as interference. 

Khumalo added that JMPD officer Johannes Mokgatle allegedly abused SAPS systems to provide information to Molefe about the GCI ops’ pre-activities.

“In Crime Intelligence, we use a lot of covert resources. For a person to link covert resources to the SAPS, they must be experienced. And Mokgatle successfully did this for Molefe,” Khumalo said.

Previously, the commission heard that while Mokgatle claimed that he was at Molefe’s house on official duty, his immediate commander said Mokgatle falsely reported sick for duty.

“In my view, this was a clear obstruction of justice and a defeat of the ends of justice. It is not just interference,” Khumalo said.

On Monday, the Divisional Commissioner for National Priority Offences Operations at Hawks, Lieutenant-General Dumisani Mbotho, admitted that the Hawks members interfered with the arrest of Molefe when they asked questions about the warrant of arrest, and the name of the person being arrested.

The testimony continues.

gcwalisile.khanyile@inl.co.za

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