Former National Head of the National Directorate for Priority Crimes (DPCI/Hawks), Lieutenant-General Seswantsho Godfrey Lebeya, appeared before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
Image: Itumeleng English / ANAStudio
Retired Hawks boss General Godfrey Lebeya came under intense scrutiny over the Aeroton and Port Shepstone drug busts as the Madlanga Commission heard that no investigation was conducted into the theft of a multimillion-rand cocaine consignment, despite recommendations that further inquiries be pursued.
Lebeya told the commission on Thursday that he was not aware of any investigation into the November 2021 theft of about 541kg of cocaine that had been seized at the Durban Port and later stored at Hawks offices in Port Shepstone.
The drugs, intercepted on June 2, 2021, were moved to the Hawks' premises before disappearing months later.
The commission heard that SAPS management had recommended that the circumstances surrounding the theft be investigated.
Co-commissioner Sandile Khumalo asked Lebeya whether the recommended investigation had taken place.
“To my knowledge, there wasn't,” Lebeya replied.
He said he would have known if a departmental investigation had been opened against the provincial head because such a matter would have reached him.
Khumalo then confronted him with the recommendation.
“No, but this is what the recommendation says,” he said.
The evidence has put the security and accountability surrounding the handling of the seized cocaine under renewed scrutiny, particularly the decision to store the drugs at Hawks' offices.
The commission also questioned Lebeya about the Aeroton drug bust of July 9, 2021, in which more than 700kg of cocaine was seized after being concealed as truck parts.
Lebeya rejected an account that he had been visited on the day of the operation. He said the meeting took place on July 13, four days after the seizure.
He confirmed that he took notes during the meeting and was told there was initially about 1,000kg of cocaine before the amount was given as 805kg.
Lebeya said the 805kg figure appeared to have been confused with the consignment seized during the June 2 operation.
He also testified that he was told only police officers involved in escorting the drugs had been arrested.
He said information from General Feroz Khan had led to arrests and that members were expected to appear in court.
According to Lebeya, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa had asked a Senior Public Prosecutor to place the matter on the court roll, but the prosecutor refused.
Lebeya acknowledged that he did not return to the person who had given him the information.
He said there had been no request for him to do so and that he had used his discretion in deciding how to handle it.
The testimony has placed two major 2021 cocaine seizures, Aeroton and Port Shepstone, at the centre of questions about police investigations and the handling of seized drugs.
Lebeya will return to the commission on a date to be arranged.
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