Makgotloe denies tampering with Armand Swart murder ballistics report

Police ballistics expert Laurance Makgotloe told the Madlanga Commission on Monday that he suspected some Crime Intelligence officers who raided his office were “illegitimate”.

He said Witness B from Crime Intelligence had earlier falsely accused him before the commission of tampering with a ballistics report on the murder of engineer Armand Swart, who was killed in a case of mistaken identity.

Makgotloe also denied he made a link between ballistics from Swart’s Vereeniging murder and the arrests of suspects in Bramley, along with several other high-profile cases.

Laurance Makgotloe told the Madlanga Commission how his ballistics report was demanded by Witness B, who has already testified before the inquiry.

Witness B accused Makgotloe of tampering with the report and went to his office to get a copy accompanied by heavily armed police.

“They specifically were looking for the ballistic report I prepared for the Vereeniging and Bramley cases,” Makgotloe said.

But Makgotloe said he refused their offer to take him home to fetch something because he did not trust that they were legitimate police officers.

“I refused passing by my house due to the safety concerns I had, fearing that it would expose my family to the risk in the event that I was in the company of illegitimate officers,” he added.

He said he eventually printed out the report and handed it over to Crime Intelligence after a lengthy interrogation.