Madlanga Inquiry: Detective alleges possible interference, deliberate delays of ballistics report in Swart murder case

Allegations of possible interference and deliberate delays of a ballistics report in the murder case of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart have been presented before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.

This, as the investigating officer in the case testified on Wednesday, partially in-camera, with only her voice broadcast to conceal her identity over safety concerns.

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Witness B outlined how she felt the detective assigned to compile the ballistics report, based at the Silverton lab in Pretoria, omitted certain linkages to "high-profile" figures.

This resulted in the ballistic evidence being sent to the South African Police Services (SAPS)’s KwaZulu-Natal ballistic lab for a second opinion.

The team investigating the assassination of Swart was allegedly told by the detective compiling the ballistics report that the weapons had linkages to high-profile figures and cases of cash-in-transit.

However, when the team received the actual report, it contained nothing related to high-profile individuals or cash-in-transits, raising questions.

Witness B told the Madlanga Commission that they raised their concerns around possible interference at the Silverton ballistics lab in Pretoria and were instructed to send the evidence to KZN’s ballistic lab in Amanzimtoti for a second opinion.

She claimed that when they attempted to get an original copy of the Silverton ballistics report from the system, it was deleted.

"He gave us a date of when it was deleted on the 6th of December - that’s all he could tell us. He said: 'I can’t tell you any further than that.'"

Controversial businessman Katiso "KT" Molefe was arrested by the team on 6 December 2024 in connection with Swart’s murder.

Witness B will resume her testimony on Thursday morning.