The theft of 541kg of cocaine from a police facility in Port Shepstone was a targeted operation carried out by people with inside knowledge, the Madlanga commission heard on Thursday.
Jakobus Prinsloo, a former member of the South African Police Service’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), told the commission.
He further said that he was also treated as a suspect during the investigation because his polygraph test lasted nearly six hours.
Long polygraph test
Prinsloo testified that authorities had sent him a letter listing all individuals who were required to undergo polygraph testing.
“Everyone was tested for three hours,” he said.
He added that although the exhibits were never recovered, he had been interviewed several times.
“The exhibits were not recovered but I was interviewed several times,” Prinsloo told the commission.
Evidence leader Adv Mpilo Sikhakhane questioned whether Prinsloo’s superiors had acted in accordance with the regulatory framework during the investigation.
“No, definitely not,” Prinsloo responded.
Sikhakhane also asked whether the officers deployed to deliver the drugs worth
R200-million to Port Shepstone had been formally recorded anywhere by name.
Prinsloo replied that they had not.
Signs of inside job
Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga said he could not discount the possibility that people outside the SAPS may have been informed by insiders about the cocaine consignment.
“Even if the theft was committed by outsiders, those outsiders would have been informed by some of the SAPS officials, people working inside. What do you have to say about that?” Madlanga asked.
Prinsloo agreed with the suggestion.
Carefully planned operation
During his testimony, Prinsloo said he believed the theft of the cocaine consignment was a carefully planned operation rather than a random break-in.
He maintained that those responsible had prior and detailed knowledge of the drugs and where they were being stored.
According to Prinsloo, such information could only have come from someone who was present when the consignment arrived on 22 June 2021, or from members of the team led by Warrant Officer Mpangase, who were tasked with taking samples from the exhibits.
Prinsloo further pointed to Mpangase’s team, saying they made several visits to the Port Shepstone facility between 23 and 24 June 2021. He suggested that anyone with access during that period would have had the opportunity to obtain sensitive information about the stored evidence.
Prinsloo concluded his testimony before the commission on Thursday. The commission has yet to rule on Witness H’s in camera application.
The official is expected to take the stand on Friday.
- The theft of 541kg of cocaine from a Port Shepstone police facility was a targeted operation involving insider knowledge, according to Jakobus Prinsloo, a former Hawks member testifying at the Madlanga commission.
- Prinsloo himself was treated as a suspect, undergoing a nearly six-hour polygraph test, although the stolen exhibits were never recovered.
- Officers involved in transporting the drugs were not formally recorded by name, indicating procedural lapses during the investigation.
- Commission chairperson Justice Madlanga suggested that outsiders who stole the drugs likely had information from SAPS insiders; Prinsloo agreed.
- Prinsloo stated the theft was carefully planned with prior knowledge from those present when the drugs arrived or members of the sampling team, highlighting multiple visits to the facility shortly after the consignment's arrival.
Jakobus Prinsloo, a former member of the
He further said that he was also treated as a suspect during the investigation because his polygraph test lasted nearly six hours.
Prinsloo testified that authorities had sent him a letter listing all individuals who were required to undergo polygraph testing.
"Everyone was tested for three hours," he said.
He added that although the exhibits were never recovered, he had been interviewed several times.
"
Evidence leader Adv Mpilo
"No, definitely not," Prinsloo responded.
R200-million to Port
Prinsloo replied that they had not.
Commission chairperson Justice
"Even if the theft was committed by outsiders, those outsiders would have been informed by some of the SAPS officials, people working inside. What do you have to say about that?"
Prinsloo agreed with the suggestion.
He maintained that those responsible had prior and detailed knowledge of the drugs and where they were being stored.
Prinsloo further pointed to
Prinsloo concluded his testimony before the commission on
