Nxumalo accused of financing police operation to target blogger Musa Khawula

Evidence presented before the Madlanga Commission shows controversial businessman Ze Nxumalo funded part of an operation to close in on controversial music blogger Musa Khawula.

It is alleged Nxumalo bought tickets for six officers to attend a music concert. The aim, according to one of the officers, Fannie Nkosi, was to arrest Khawula at the event.

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At the time, Nxumalo had opened a defamation of character case against the blogger and was allegedly applying pressure on Nkosi to arrest him.

Nkosi has testified that the undercover operation was a last-minute decision and could not be processed in time by the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Nkosi was questioned on why the investigating officer in the Khawula defamation case was not part of the delegation that attended the concert.

"I don’t know how to answer that. We were going to make a plan when he arrived there. So I don’t know what was going to be the plan; maybe one of the team members was going to come up with a plan," Nkosi said.

Madlanga: "Your response suggests to me you had not applied your mind on how he [the investigating officer] would get in, even if he did arrive?"

Nkosi: "That’s correct."

Nkosi stated that they were ultimately unable to arrest Khawula, as the blogger did not attend the concert.