Ex-Crime Intelligence official 'threatened' over testimony, Zondo Inquiry hears
Former Crime Intelligence official Kobus Roelofse said he had received what he believed were threats to not testify at the state capture commission.
JOHANNESBURG - Former Crime Intelligence official Kobus Roelofse said he had received what he believed were threats to not testify at the state capture commission.
Roelofse's testimony was preceded by extensive legal ring-fencing, including the sealing of names of people who may be implicated.
The witness, who was attached to the anti-corruption task team, had also requested the South African Police Service (SAPS) to declassify some documents, but the SAPS approval was with condition that only the chairperson had access to the documents.
Lawyers representing former police commissioners Khomotso Phahlane and Riah Phiyega and Crime Intelligence boss General Bongiwe Zulu were also at the commission, presumably to follow proceedings that may implicate their clients.
The commission said despite taking all the steps necessary to inform witnesses that may be implicated by Roelofse, another Crime Intelligence boss General Chris Ngcobo could not be contacted anywhere.
Roelofse explained: “The last couple of months in preparing my affidavit, I have received increasing messages to the effect that I consider them trying to inhibit me to testify at the commission. I have it on good authority, but I cannot mention names right now as I also need to protect their identity, but as I was not expecting that. I was a little disappointed. It won’t affect my testimony at the commission, I will testify [to] what I know.”
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Roelofse said his testimony at the state capture commission would deal with how the classification of documents had been used to hide criminality.
He has detailed how crime intelligence works from the funding of secret accounts to classification of documents and said the latter has often been abused.
