Botch-up police operation sinks drug trap

The South African Police Service may have metaphorically shot itself in the foot when it interrupted the takedown of a major drug dealer by arresting two of its own, and their registered informer.

Based at Crime Intelligence (CI) headquarters in its counter intelligence division, Colonel Daniel Coertzen, Captain William Rashilo, and an informer appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrates court yesterday on charges of defeating the ends of justice and dealing in drugs after their informer was caught with 2000 mandrax tablets on 10 October.

However, the operation may have been far from illegal according to information seen by The Citizen.

Saps has been contacted on several occasions but has not been able to provide any comment  despite acknowledging the requests.

The operation began in June when Rashilo was introduced to a source by another police officer who had information about someone who was manufacturing and dealing drugs such as mandrax, cocaine, tik, cat, and heroin.

Rashilo subsequently registered the informer – who cannot be named as this would endanger his life – with CI and managed to draw R4 500 in operational money for him.

A South African Narcotics Bureau investigating officer was appointed when it was made known in October by the informer the dealer wanted him to deliver drugs to Cape Town.

As Rashilo’s senior, it fell to Coertzen to arrange the relevant paperwork with the Western Cape Hawks in terms of Section 252A of the Criminal Procedure Act, which permits the use of a trap or engaging in undercover operations in order to detect, investigate or uncover the commission of an offence.

Coertzen then informed his superior, a Brigadier Ximba.

It was when the informer changed his travel arrangements on the bus things began to fall apart.

A mere 20 minutes after the informer told Rashilo he was already on the bus, the informer was arrested and taken to Park Station police.

When Rashilo arrived at Park Station, he too was arrested. It was only when Coertzen showed them the 252A application, and after Coertzen had made an Occurrence Book entry, Rashilo was released provisionally to appear at Hillbrow Saps the next day.

Coertzen requested a Captain Mashilela to go on his behalf, and he and Rashilo were apparently sent to speak to members of Organised Crime and the Provincial Task Team, run by Major General Mary Motsepe, the deputy provincial commissioner of crime detection in Gauteng.

According to the information, the plainclothes members were interviewing the informer and when Coertzen and Rashilo arrived at the cells, refused to identify themselves and accused Coertzen and Rashilo of producing a fake 252A.

It is alleged that a warrant officer Makwe then confiscated their cellphones (private and work), appointment certificates, and Rashilo’s service pistol and laptop before taking them to see Motsepe where they waited from about 11am until 6pm, only to be told to return the next day.

Eventually Mashilela’s phones and appointment certificate were returned to him after Coertzen’s intervention.

Coertzen finally managed to see Motsepe, who allegedly would only say he and Rashilo should explain themselves at court.

Makwe apparently demanded Coertzen’s appointment certificate and firearm then, before taking them to Hillbrow police station.

However, it was revealed in court yesterday by JP Venter of BDK Attorneys for Coertzen and Rashilo, their firearms and appointment certificates did not appear in the Hillbrow exhibit register.

As the two had not been suspended they needed these to continue to do their work, Venter noted.

Coertzen and Rashilo have in turn accused Motsepe, Makwe and a number of other members of defeating the ends of justice by interfering and stopping the operation which had its endgame of arresting the dealer interrupted.

The case was remanded to next year for further investigation. Coertzen and Rashilo are on bail.

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