Senzo bribery claims shot down

FORMER Gauteng Hawks head General Shadrack Sibiya has hit out at rumours that he took a R1 million bribe from musician Sello “Chicco” Twala to protect his son, Longwe, from charges related to the murder of Senzo Meyiwa.

Sibiya was responding to claims by a parody Twitter account: Man’s Not Barry Roux which triggered allegations that Longwe, who was at Kelly Khumalo’s mother’s house in Spruitview, Vosloorus, where Meyiwa was shot dead, was involved in the October 2014 killing and Twala had helped cover it up.

Over the past few weeks, the social media account has fuelled a frenzy with more claims that Twala allegedly used his father’s gun to commit the murder.

A tweet with Sibiya’s face posted a few days ago claims: “This is the former head of the Gauteng Hawks, General Shadrack Sibiya, (to) whom Chicco Twala sent a text message asking for his intervention in saving his son Longwe & Shadrack Sibiya intervened. #Senzomeyiwa #Justiceforsenzomeyiwa.”

This was followed by another tweet: “Former Gauteng Hawks Shadrack Sibiya was offered R1m by Chicco Twala. The meeting took place in Sello Chicco Twala’s house & Longwe Twala was present. #Senzomeyiwa

Meyiwa.”

Sibiya, now the City of Johannesburg’s head of forensic investigations, said shortly after Meyiwa’s shooting he received calls from two of Gauteng’s top cops.

He and his team met at the hospital were Meyiwa was. They then went to the murder scene, where they met high-profile figures such as Gauteng Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-malobane.

Sibiya and his team secured the crime scene and interviewed witnesses, including Meyiwa’s girlfriend, Kelly, her sister and Senzo’s childhood friend from KZN.

Sibiya expressed confidence #Justiceforsenzo that those behind Meyiwa’s murder would be brought to justice.

Twala said: “At no stage did I offer anyone a bribe. If my son was involved in the killing, I would not hesitate to hand him over to the authorities. Faceless people must stop resorting to social media to spread malicious rumours which are destroying other people’s lives.”