State Capture Inquiry January 16, 2019
On Wednesday retired Hawks investigator Johannes van Loggerenberg recounted how his probe into dodgy dealings between controversial Durban businessman Thoshan Panday and senior KwaZulu-Natal police officers was frustrated for years while they enjoyed the protection of top cops in the province.
Johannesburg - The Zondo commission resumes on Thursday morning with Lt General Godfrey Lebeya expected to testify.
Lebeya, who is head of the Hawks, will give evidence on Law Enforcement.
On Wednesday retired Hawks investigator Johannes van Loggerenberg recounted how his probe into dodgy dealings between controversial Durban businessman Thoshan Panday and senior KwaZulu-Natal police officers was frustrated for years while they enjoyed the protection of top cops in the province.
Van Loggerenberg took the stand at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture on Wednesday, when he shed light on investigations of corruption linked to Panday and senior SAPS supply chain management in relation to contracts involving the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
The contracts in question were for the accommodation of police officers during the tournament.
He maintained that he and his team of investigators resorted to secretly forging ahead with the probe after they were instructed by former SAPS KZN commissioner Mmamonnye Ngobeni to halt the probe, despite the fact that she was one of the suspects in the case.
The commission previously heard how Panday forked out R30000 for a birthday bash held for Ngobeni’s husband.
Van Loggerenberg underscored that his team defied Ngobeni's instructions for the investigation into Panday to be withdrawn.
“We continued with the investigation after it became known by the commissioner we had not stopped.”
He explained that their determination to go ahead was strengthened by the fact that former Hawks national boss Anwa Dramat had confirmed that Ngobeni had no authority to instruct investigators to follow her instructions.
Political Bureau