Africa-Press – South-Africa. One of the top cops from the Hawks alleged members of the elite cop unit interfered with the arrest of controversial businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe.
On Monday Lt-Gen Dumisani Mbotho said he was not surprised by claims the Hawks interfered in investigations during an operation at Molefe’s house on December 6 2024.
Mbotho said the issue involving Capt Barry Kruger from the Hawks and Capt Maxwell Wanda from the political killings task team should have been resolved through proper procedures.
He said he did not know why they delayed at the scene after verifying the operation was legitimate.
“I do not understand why they took so long. I would have expected Capt Kruger to produce his appointments in this game, and Wanda to do the same. They exchange their details. This is an official operation.
“I do not understand why they were there in the first place. Earlier I was told they would have been in a rush to another operation. I thought they would have gone there with much pressure on time. After the interaction, after they sent us the numbers, I don’t know what kept them there,” he said.Wanda told the commission he viewed the arrival of the Hawks as interference in a legitimate operation.
Mbotho did not oppose the commission’s view that once the Hawks had verified the operation as legitimate, asking for further details such as the case number or identity of the person being arrested would amount to interference.
“I am not opposed to that view,” he said.This followed the commission’s observation that there was evidence of Hawks members asking to see the warrant even after investigators had confirmed the legitimacy of the operation. They also questioned who was being arrested and requested the case number. The commission asked whether such actions, after the operation had been verified as legitimate, would constitute interference.
Brig Lesiba Mokoena, who instructed Hawks members to go to the scene, told the commission last week they had received information there were bogus cops at Molefe’s property who claimed to be from the Hawks.
Mokoena told the commission he had received the report while attending the Hawks excellence awards in Pretoria East from his divisional head, who had reported to him that the then head of Hawks, Lt-Gen Godfrey Lebeya, had asked him to check on the reported bogus operation.
After being given the address he confirmed he had contacted two of his operational members, including Kruger.
Wanda said he ended up at Molefe’s house that day after his commander had asked him to join the team tasked with Molefe’s arrest.
Mokoena told the commission that he received a call from his commander, Mbotho, that there were bogus cops at Molefe’s property.
He said he asked Kruger from Pretoria North to go and verify.
W/O Sabelo Nkosi of the Hawks said he unexpectedly found himself at Molefe’s house when the team was diverted there, delaying their planned operation in North West.
Nkosi, who had received a call from Mokoena about alleged bogus cops, said he found Mokoena’s instruction “strange”.
He said the area had a local police station that could have handled the verification.
He found Mokoena’s directive unusual and said a reasonable person would have thought the priority was the life-threatening operation in North West.
Nkosi also said Kruger’s delay in verifying the bogus cops at Molefe’s house was unnecessary.
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