The wife of suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya has alleged that senior police figures only addressed as Mkhwanazi and Khumalo, as named in the affidavit were behind an alleged attempt to pressure the father of one of the teenagers who opened a case against her husband.
Sizakele Dlamini made the allegations in an affidavit submitted in support of Sibiya’s bail application in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court.
Sibiya is facing allegations including the rape of an 18-year-old woman, the sexual grooming of a 16-year-old and a firearm-related charge. The 16-year-old is the child of the man referred to in court papers as “Mr M”.
Dlamini alleged that a spiritual leader, whom she identified as an “apostle” from the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church in Midrand, told her that Mr M had indicated that he wanted to withdraw the charges against her husband.
According to Dlamini’s affidavit, the apostle told her that Mr M had contacted him several times and wanted to meet with the Sibiya family after seeing the lieutenant-general crying in the dock during an earlier court appearance.
“The apostle informed me that he received several telephone calls from Mr M who wished to come to our home to speak to our family,” Dlamini said in the affidavit.
She alleged that Mr M wanted to withdraw the charges but was being pressured by Khumalo and Mkhwanazi, who allegedly wanted him to provide “more information” about Sibiya.
Dlamini said the apostle believed Mr M had become fearful and felt that he had “gone too far”.
She said she recorded the conversation on her cellphone. The recording, according to Dlamini, was approximately 57 minutes long, was transcribed and submitted to the court.
Dlamini said she was sceptical about the alleged change of heart by Mr M and warned the apostle that he could be “playing games”.
“A person cannot change overnight,” she said.
She further suggested that the alleged approach could have formed part of a broader plan against her husband.
“The approach can still form part of a broader plan,” Dlamini said.
Dlamini said she declined an offer to become involved in the discussions, believing the situation could be a set-up, and told the apostle that they should allow the criminal case to continue.
She also rejected an alleged suggestion that Mr M had previously worked for her husband as a bodyguard.
“I know him as a friend of the applicant, nothing more. I do not know what Mr M does for a living,” she said.
Dlamini alleged that it was Mr M himself who had presented himself as a bodyguard.
She also detailed an alleged telephone conversation with Mr M on 24 September.
According to the affidavit, Mr M told Dlamini that he felt he owed her an explanation and confirmed that he had contacted the apostle because he wanted to meet with the Sibiya family.
Dlamini said Mr M later sent her a lengthy message and forwarded a voice note lasting approximately 25 minutes and 17 seconds.
According to her affidavit, Mr M said he was disturbed by the way Sibiya had presented him in court.
She alleged that Mr M claimed to have kept records, photographs and location information relating to his interactions and meetings, saying he had done so to protect himself.
The allegations contained in Dlamini’s affidavit have not been tested in court. Mkhwanazi and Khumalo have not, in the information before the court, been found guilty of any wrongdoing in connection with the allegations.
Sibiya remains behind bars and will return to the Randburg Magistrate’s Court for his bail application on Tuesday.
