Former KZN top cop ‘at large’, NPA says she should hand herself over

Former KwaZulu-Natal top cop Mmamonnye Ngobeni – who was due to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Friday facing corruption charges – is in the wind and being sought by the authorities.

This follows the swoop on controversial KZN businessman Thoshan Panday and senior police supply chain management unit head Colonel Navin Madhoe on Friday.

Ngobeni, due to be charged alongside the pair, is now considered “at large” by the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate (ID).

Another accused, Aswin Narainpershad, could also not be located.

Ngobeni and Panday face three counts of corruption related to bribes Panday allegedly paid to Ngobeni in exchange for her instructing former Hawks Major-General Johan Booysen to halt an investigation into a R47 million police accommodation fraud scheme.

The ID’s Sindisiwe Twala said Ngobeni was being sought.

“She switched off her phone and as such we were unable to arrest her. She is at large,” she added, saying Ngobeni should hand herself over.

Bail

Both Panday and Madhoe were released on bail after a brief appearance, the former having to post R100,000 and the latter R10,000.

This comes more than a decade after Panday, allegedly acting in concert with Madhoe and Narainpershad, allegedly ostensibly set himself up as a middleman to secure accommodation for thousands of police officers deployed for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

The millions that allegedly flowed into his bank accounts, and those controlled by his web of companies, set off alarm bells at police headquarters, with a probe then launched to investigate the startling rise in spending.

Investigating officers allegedly uncovered what they believed to be links to the highest officer in the province, with Panday paying for the surprise birthday party of Ngobeni’s husband, all while she knew he was under suspicion.

A forensic audit by PwC, commissioned by the police, unearthed evidence of Panday’s quid pro quo – he allegedly scored millions in contracts while he allegedly showered Ngobeni, Madhoe and Narainpershad with gifts. Twala added Narainpershad was also being actively sought.

Repeated efforts to contact Ngobeni, as well as her husband Lucas, were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.

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