‘Nhleko plotted to replace Hawks boss with Ntlemeza’
SUSPENDED police watchdog head Robert McBride made sensational claims this week of a plot involving former crime intelligence head Richard Mdluli, Police Minister Nathi Nhleko and Hawks head Berning Ntlemeza to axe Ntlemeza’s predecessor, Anwa Dramat.
McBride accuses Nhleko of leaning on Innocent Khuba — an investigator with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) — to implicate Dramat in the so-called renditions case so that he could replace Dramat with Ntlemeza.
McBride, Khuba and fellow Ipid officer Matthews Sesoko appeared in court on Wednesday charged with fraud and defeating the ends of justice.
Khuba “was called, personally, by Minister Nhleko to ensure that he ‘co-operates’,” McBride told the Sunday Times. He would not be drawn on who he believed was behind the plot to remove him and Dramat from their posts or what their motives were.
“I would prefer not to resort to theories. Facts speak louder,” McBride said. He cited Ntlemeza’s meetings with Khu- ba, visits to Khuba by Hawks members, and Ntlemeza’s “interest” in the renditions case.
Dramat and other Hawks officials appeared in court on Friday charged with kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice. Their case relates to a Hawks operation in 2010 and 2011 exposed by the Sunday Times that led to five Zimbabwean crime suspects being illegally deported. Two were killed and one disappeared.
In his warning statement, Khuba said he became suspicious that his investigation was being politically manipulated when former Ipid head Koekie Mbeki told him in 2012 that he should work closely with a crime intelligence official but “keep [his] involvement in the matter secret”.
Mbeki also instructed him “not to work with or discuss the case” with Sesoko, Ipid’s head of investigations. Khuba said this was the first time in nearly 16 years of service he had been instructed not to involve the national investigations head in a case.
Khuba said his suspicions were compounded during several meetings with Ntlemeza in Polokwane. At the time, Ntlemeza was the deputy police commissioner in Limpopo and was tipped to become the new Ipid head. Khuba considered him “a friend”.
During one meeting Ntlemeza told him his “political principals” wanted him to head the Hawks, not Ipid. On another occasion when Khuba expressed fears for his safety Ntlemeza told him he had been in touch with Mdluli who had assigned people to “look after him”, he said in his statement.
Ntlemeza also said Khuba’s delays in submitting his report on the renditions case was delaying his transfer to the Hawks.
At another meeting, in December 2014, Ntlemeza told him “there was going to be a hit on Dramat” and he should look out for it on TV. Soon after- wards Nhleko suspended Dramat.
Khuba, McBride and Sesoko were charged for allegedly doctoring a report to let Dramat off the hook.
Khuba, who is based in Polokwane, was fired last year after he signed an affidavit saying McBride had played no role in changing his investigation report to exonerate Dramat.
This contradicted a settlement he had signed two days earlier in which he said he and McBride had doctored the report.
Khuba said in his warning statement that Hawks members had approached him after he was fired and promised to get him reinstated if he im- plicated McBride and Sesoko.
This appears to be confirmed by a recording of their conversation. “You must understand that whatever you do [must be] good for yourself, not to support your enemy,” a Hawks colonel tells Khuba.
Ntlemeza’s spokesman, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, said Khuba could continue “ranting”. “We are not bothered since the truth will ultimately come out.”
Nhleko’s spokesman, Musa Zondi, said the minister would not be “answering piecemeal” to allegations. “Let the court process finish.”
Mbeki, Mdluli and Khuba could not be reached for comment.
Khuba was called by Nhleko to ensure he ‘co-operates’