Suspended KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona has accused his junior officer, Karl Sander, of misleading the Madlanga Commission when he testified that he had been subjected to a polygraph test after his coffee machine was stolen from the provincial offices of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in Durban.
Sander also alleged that Senona transferred him to an administrative position as part of a cover-up relating to the theft of drugs.
Returning to the commission on Friday, Senona rejected these claims, stating that Sander had been transferred on the instruction of former DPCI National Head, General Godfrey Lebeya, following an investigation into allegations that the warrant officer had been involved in the theft and distribution of drugs.
“I only became aware of the complaint when I received an instruction from the DPCI National Head,” Senona told the commission.
“I later received a further instruction from General Suraj Bali to temporarily place the member in another post pending the investigation, which I duly carried out.”
Senona said the allegations against Sander were serious and centred on claims that he and other officers had been involved in the theft of cocaine at the harbour and its subsequent sale to a gang.
“There was a complaint containing serious allegations against Warrant Officer Sander and other members regarding the theft of cocaine at the harbour and the sale of that cocaine to a specific gang,” he said.
“I am cautious about mentioning the names of other individuals who have not appeared before this commission because, on a previous occasion, I was compelled to name certain people and am currently involved in litigation as a result.”
He explained that, due to the seriousness of the allegations, steps were taken in accordance with standard police procedures.
“If my memory serves me correctly, Colonel Jacobs was the acting provincial commander at the time. Brigadier Nyuswa was not there. I called Colonel Jacobs and instructed him to bring Warrant Officer Sander. I drafted and signed a letter placing him in Supply Chain Management until the investigation was finalised. It is a process we follow within the police.”
Senona also denied Sander’s claim that he had been singled out for a polygraph test following the theft of the coffee machine. He told the commission that there had been several theft incidents at the provincial office and that all personnel working in the affected section were required to undergo polygraph testing.
He stressed that Sander was not the only employee subjected to the process.
“It is standard procedure when allegations arise in relation to your duties. Depending on the circumstances, you may be temporarily redeployed or suspended.
“He was never suspended and never lost any income. He continued to receive his full salary, danger allowance and scarce-skills allowance.”
Senona further accused Sander of deliberately misrepresenting the circumstances surrounding the coffee machine incident.
“He comes here and cries, claiming that I subjected him to a polygraph test because his coffee machine was stolen. That is simply not true,” Senona said.
“For lack of a better word, it would have been absurd for me to do such a thing. If someone is the victim of a theft, why would I subject that person to a polygraph test? That would be entirely wrong. He misled the commission.”