Madlanga Commission wants head of Hawks' tactical operations management to appear again & clarify contradictions in testimony

The Madlanga Commission wants the Hawks' head of tactical operations management, Brigadier Lesiba Mokoena, to appear again and clarify some of the contradictions in his initial testimony.

However, Mokoena told the commission he had been given legal advice not to appear again, at least at this stage.

In his testimony last Wednesday, Mokoena denied that he participated in a WhatsApp group that was created on 6 December last year – the same day, suspected criminal underworld gang boss, Katiso "KT" Molefe was arrested.

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The group was established to verify whether there were legitimate police officers at Molefe’s home, following reports that there were people impersonating law enforcement officers. 

Evidence leader, Lee Segeels-Ncube, said that Mokoena would prefer not to appear at the commission again until he had considered legal advice and all the evidence that will be presented before the commission. 

"He’s not sure at this stage if he is considered an implicated person having regard to the evidence that was led last week, so he is still considering his position. My understanding from the DPCI's (Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation) legal adviser is that they have advised him not to participate at this stage, unless the commission absolutely wants him to come, but even then, he will still consider his position."

Chairperson, Mbuyiseli Madlanga, said that while Mokoena was well within his rights to seek legal advice, the commission would definitely need him to come back and testify again.

"All of this relates to whether or not he participated in the group, and he said he did not and Captain Kruger [Barry Kruger, member of Hawks' TOMS] said he did, and on the statements that we have shown, there are other witnesses, probably more than just one, who again contradict him. So, we must hear him again. It's not a maybe."

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