‘Ntlemeza not distracted by allegations’

HAWKS head General Berning Ntlemeza was not having any sleepless nights as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is still to make a decision whether to prosecute him, his spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

“The truth will come out. He is not distracted at all by all of these allegations,” Mulaudzi said yesterday.

He made the comments a day after the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) told Parliament that a decision was pending from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) after the probe into Ntlemeza.

Ipid’s chief director for investigation and information management, Matthews Sisoko, told the portfolio committee on police that the investigation on alleged fraud, crimen injuria, perjury and defeating the ends of justice had been concluded.

“The matter is with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). We await a decision on these matters.”

Mulaudzi said the Hawks had co-operated with the Ipid probe. It is linked to the one into acting national commissioner Khomotso Phahlane, who is facing an investigation into his “R8 million” house and vehicles.

“The investigation is in the initial stages. We have requested documentation, so the investigation is continuing,” Sisoko said.

He also said another high-profile investigation “at an advanced stage” was that of Hawks leading investigator Brigadier Nyameka Xaba and others in the alleged assault and kidnapping of an SA Revenue Service official.

He added officials were investigating the killing of two officers who were attached to the Hawks and SAPS, whose deaths have led to a drug syndicate at OR Tambo International Airport. “We get information from sources about things going on there. We hope to crack the case.”

NPA spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku would not confirm if the dockets pertaining to Ntlemeza had been received. He confirmed a docket was received in Xaba’s matter, and that the NPA was giving guidance on the other cases.