Suspended KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona has testified before the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry that he fears for his and his family's safety.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
Suspended KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona has revealed that he and his family feared for their lives, as well as another suspension following his testimony at the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry.
The SA Police Service (SAPS) on Friday announced that Senona and four other officers had been found not guilty on all charges of kidnapping, assault, torture, and theft in the matter relating to alleged Mozambican transnational kidnapping syndicate kingpin Esmael Nangy.
The SAPS’ decision follows a comprehensive disciplinary process and consideration of all the evidence presented at the disciplinary proceedings that led to the officers being cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to the allegations.
During his testimony, Senona told the commission that when he was first suspended in January, he was taken out of his office at gunpoint and escorted out by some of his gun-wielding colleagues.
He said his tools of trade, including his laptop and gun, were taken from him.
“I was taken out of my office like a dog,” said Senona, adding that the entire ordeal landed him in hospital for two weeks.
He also stated that he was not 100% well in terms of his safety and that of his family.
According to Senona, his January suspension lapsed in May after 77 days and was lifted by his supervisor.
SAPS rules and regulations only make provision for suspension of employees for 60 days after which it lapses.
He expressed concern about facing another suspension due to the evidence he provided before the commission.
“I’m going through hell because of me coming here. I don’t know what these people want from me,” said Senona.
He added: “I’m also afraid I might be getting another one (suspension notice) on Monday or they might come to my house over the weekend and give me another one.”
On June 3, Senona was suspended for the second time after being provided with another suspension letter by his supervisor for the storage and theft of drugs at a Hawks storage facility in Port Shepstone in November 2021.
He told the commission that on Friday at 10am, he was supposed to be attending a disciplinary hearing.
“I indicated when I started giving testimony that I was double-booked. During lunchtime, I received good news. (In) the disciplinary (hearing) that was instituted against me, I was found not guilty and discharged on all charges,” Senona explained.
However, he added that he was worried because whenever he finishes giving evidence at the commission, he is slapped with a new disciplinary case, investigation, or suspension.
“It was a good decision for me not to go there (Friday’s disciplinary hearing) and come here, so I am exonerated there. Now my full attention is here,” Senona said.
His legal representative, Advocate Dali Mpofu SC, informed the commission that the disciplinary case in respect of which Senona was cleared is not in relation to the drug bust.
Mpofu said his client was suspended on the basis of his evidence before the commission.
“The risks are real; they are not speculative as I have indicated with the question of the suspension,” he stated.
In his evidence, Senona denied misleading his superior, Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili, the SAPS’ deputy national commissioner responsible for policing, by informing her that during the drug bust in June 2021 at the Durban Harbour, other police units were present.
He had testified that there were members of the police’s Operational Response Services and the Hawks’ SA Narcotics Enforcement Bureau when the seal of the shipping container used to transport the 541kg of suspected cocaine with a street value of about R200 million was broken.
Senona said he would never intentionally mislead his superior or come to the commission and lie. According to Senona, if he did so, he might be suspended or expelled.
“On June 28, I’m 60 years old. I want to exit the police honourably. I’m an honest person, me and lies are like parallel. I don’t want to be expelled before I go on pension for things I didn’t do,” he said.