Police have descended on the home of deputy national police commissioner for crime detection, Shadrack Sibiya on Thursday.
Armed officers reportedly arrived at Sibiya’s residence, in Centurion, Pretoria, to apprehend him on allegations of defeating the ends of justice.
Despite the developments, national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe has stated that the South African Police Service (Saps) was not aware of any arrests at this stage.
Sibiya’s lawyer, Ian Levitt, expressed concern over the manner of the possible arrest, stating that they had not been informed in advance.
The police presence is believed to be linked to Sibiya’s decision to transfer criminal case dockets from the political killings task team (PKTT) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) to the police’s head office in Pretoria.
Political killings task team
This move followed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s order to disband the PKTT.
According to KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, Sibiya and Mchunu allegedly colluded to dissolve the task team to protect criminal networks operating in Gauteng and to halt ongoing investigations.
Both Mkhwanazi, national police commissioner Fannie Masemola, and Saps’ head of legal services Petronella Margaretha van Rooyen testified before the Madlanga commission, which is probing political interference, corruption and collusion within the criminal justice system.
They testified that Sibiya acted outside his mandate by transferring 121 dockets.
It also emerged during the hearings that Sibiya — who was suspended last month after initially being placed on leave of absence — has a personal relationship with controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Matlala is currently in police custody facing charges related to the attempted murder of his former partner, Tebogo Thobejane.
He was recently denied bail and has since indicated his intention to appeal the ruling.
Furthermore, Sibiya’s attempt to return to office was rejected by the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on 9 September.
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