Gauteng Hawks official Lt-Col Nkoana Sebola returned to the witness stand at the Madlanga commission on Monday, where he continued to defend his role in the controversial 2021 Aeroton drug bust.
Sebola presented evidence from a forensic analysis of devices seized during the investigation.
Proceedings were briefly delayed after the commission adjourned to allow its legal team time to prepare files before Sebola resumed his testimony.
During his appearance last month, Sebola maintained that he and not former SAPS Crime Intelligence boss Feroz Khan controlled the Aeroton operation. He also denied seeing Khan at the scene despite allegations from several officials that Khan played a significant role in the drug bust.
On Monday, Sebola guided the commission through a forensic examination of devices seized from several law enforcement officials and alleged informant Tumelo Nku.
According to Sebola, investigators recovered screenshots from Nku’s cellphone containing communications about the photographing of a shipping container and its seal.
“Screenshots found on alleged informant Tumelo Nku’s cellphone contain communications discussing the photographing of a container and its seal,” Sebola told the commission.
He said some of the communications were conducted through the messaging application Threema.
Threema is an ultra-secure, privacy-focused instant messaging app developed in Switzerland. Unlike WhatsApp or Telegram, it allows you to communicate completely anonymously without linking a phone number or email address.
The commission heard that messages on the platform are deleted from servers immediately after delivery, with investigators only able to access screenshots that had been stored on devices.
“Some of the communications were conducted via the mobile app Threema. The communications investigators were able to retrieve were in the form of screenshots,” he clarified.
Sebola further alleged that investigators discovered evidence suggesting the group that eventually took possession of the Aeroton drug consignment had monitored several other containers before the July 2021 operation.
“The investigation uncovered evidence suggesting some of those previous operations were successful,” he testified.
However, under questioning, Sebola conceded significant limitations in the evidence presented to the commission.
He acknowledged that he cannot definitively prove the chats presented to the commission are linked to the 2021 Aeroton drug bust and further admitted that he was unable to provide additional evidence directly connecting the communications to the operation.
Despite this concession, Sebola said investigators had identified a screenshot on Nku’s cellphone containing truck information obtained from a computer system.
He testified that the information corresponded with the details of the truck linked to the operation.
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- Gauteng Hawks official Lt-Col Nkoana Sebola returned to the witness stand at the Madlanga commission on Monday, where he continued to defend his role in the controversial 2021 Aeroton drug bust.
- Sebola presented evidence from a forensic analysis of devices seized during the investigation.
- Proceedings were briefly delayed after the commission adjourned to allow its legal team time to prepare files before Sebola resumed his testimony.
- During his appearance last month, Sebola maintained that he and not former SAPS Crime Intelligence boss Feroz Khan controlled the Aeroton operation.
- He also denied seeing Khan at the scene despite allegations from several officials that Khan played a significant role in the drug bust.
