National head of investigations at the Independent Police
Investigative Directorate (IPID) Matthews Sesoko has taken the stand at the
commission of inquiry into state capture on Wednesday, to unwrap allegations,
dating back to around 2011, relating to the rendition of Zimbabwean citizens
from South Africa to our neighboring country.
Rendition refers to the government-sponsored extrajudicial
transfer of a citizen from one country to another so that the country’s laws
can be circumvented. Sesoko detailed how he was approached by then Executive
Director of IPID, Francois Beukman to assemble a team to investigate the
rendition of five Zimbabwean nationals between 2010 and 2011.
Sesoko, who took the stand to corroborate the evidence of
his former boss Robert McBride, told Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that he
was approached to probe allegations of the rendition of the Zimbabwean citizens
by the South African Police Services (SAPS).
He claimed Beukman instructed him that then police minister
Nathi Mthethwa wanted IPID to investigate the matter in 2010.
He claims a year later he handed over the renditions
investigation to the SAPS Crime Intelligence Gathering Division (CIG).
The matter was later handed over to IPID under the
instructions of Mthethwa. He referred the docket to Koekie Mbeki, who was then
appointed acting executive director at IPID. Sesoko claims his role included
being consulted and briefed on national investigations.
The commission heard how Sesoko appointed Innocent Khuba to
formulate a team to investigate rendition allegations and how Khuba who had
begun investigations briefed Mbeki on the case and allegedly informed her that
she should consult him during the course of the investigations.
He was instructed by Mbeki to hand over the docket to Khuba
to investigate going forward. Sesoko also claimed Mbeki instructed Khuba not to
work or discuss investigations with him but instead collaborate with CIG
members. He further alleged that Khuba was informed to keep the collaboration a
secret.
Sesoko says he found Ms Mbeki’s instructions to be unusual
and problematic because he should properly have been kept abreast of the
investigations.
“I found my exclusion from the investigation to be
irregular as members of the CIG were themselves involved in the arrest of the
Zimbabwean nationals that were subsequently rendered to Zimbabwe,” he said.
Sesoko then said that around 24 April 2015, Werksmans
Attorneys released a report on their findings and to his surprise, recommend
that Khuba, McBride and himself be charged with defeating the ends of justice
for allegedly altering the so-called first report.
He was later told by head of the directorate, Israel
Kgamanyane, that they intended to suspend him for this.
His testimony continues. Citizen
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