Acting Sedibeng District Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Brig Mbangwa Nkhwashu brought food and clothing for alleged drug cartel member Katiso “KT” Molefe while he was in prison.
This information was revealed by Witness B on Wednesday at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into criminality, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system.
Wednesday’s proceedings at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria were held partially in-camera.
Witness B, who is a detective of the SAPS’ organised crime unit, is testifying about her experiences as a detective investigating crimes related to the criminal cartels. This forms part of the subject of the commission’s investigations. Also about attempts that have been made to interfere with these investigations.
Strange visit after visiting hours
Her testimony was led by evidence leader Adv Thapelo Pooe.
During her testimony, Witness B said Nkhwashu visited Molefe while he was in prison on December 9.
Witness B said Nkhwashu’s visit to Molefe in prison came after Molefe’s arrest at his Sandhurst, Sandton, Johannesburg house on December 6.
Molefe was arrested for the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart. Witness B is one of the investigating officers in Swart’s murder case.
“The prison head called me and told me he [Nkhwashu] visited Molefe in prison after visiting hours. He drove into the prison in a vehicle without registration numbers. That was strange. He said he was related to Molefe and went there to give him clothing and food.
“The prison officials took the clothing. But Nkhwashu was not allowed to give Molefe food because they said it goes against prison policies. The prison officials said Molefe denied being related to Nkhwashu. The prison officials suspected something strange was going on. And they called me to tell me what happened,” said Witness B.
Swart, who worked at Q Tech Engineering Company based in Vereeniging, was shot and killed outside his workplace on April 17 2024.
Victim killed in mistaken identity
He was killed when the alleged hitmen mistook him for another employee, who is a whistleblower.
Former SAPS detective Michael Pule Tau (55) and alleged hitmen Musa Kekana (35), Tiego Floyd Mabusela (47) were arrested in April last year for Swart’s murder.
Molefe (61) was arrested and charged with the murder of Swart in December last year.
Kekana and Mabusela were denied bail last year, and Tau was granted bail last year.
Tau was placed under house arrest in July last year. He was rearrested in September last year after violating his bail conditions.
Molefe was granted R100, 000 bail in June by the Pretoria High Court.
He had earlier been denied bail by the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court. The Pretoria High Court later granted him bail upon appeal.
Second arrest
Meanwhile, in July, Molefe was rearrested for the murder of club owner and musician Oupa John Sefoka, also known as DJ Sumbody.
Molefe was later granted R400, 000 bail by the Johannesburg High Court on October 10. This was after appealing the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court decision that denied him bail.
On Tuesday, Witness A told the commission that officers from the Hawks, Gauteng traffic police and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) “interfered” with the SAPS officers’ arrest of Molefe in December.
The commission continues on Thursday at 9.30am with the testimony of Witness B.
