Riah Phiyega ‘requested probe into KZN SAPS commissioner to be stopped’
The witness alleges that this was done so that the provincial commissioner's contract could be extended.
Former national police commissioner Riah Phiyega (right) is seen with the Deputy Minister of Police Maggie Sotyu (left) as they attend a service on the National Prayer Day for the South African Police Service, 30 September 2015, at the Regina Mundi Catholic Church in Soweto. Picture: Michel Bega
Former national commissioner of police Riah Phiyega allegedly requested then KZN director of public prosecutions advocate Moipone Noko to halt prosecutions against former KwaZulu-Natal commissioner Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni so that she could extend the latter’s contract.
This allegation was made by retired Colonel Johannes van Loggerenberg, who gave testimony at the commission of inquiry into state capture on Wednesday.
In a memorandum to the police dated 21 October 2014, which was read at the commission, Noko said that the specialised commercial crimes unit found that Ngobeni had been targeted and that Durban-based businessman Thoshan Panday and Colonel Navin Madhoe were allegedly pressured by investigators to falsely implicate the former provincial commissioner with the promise that the two would be exonerated in another investigation.
Loggerenberg, however, told the commission it did not makes sense why Noko would refuse to prosecute Ngobeni when there was a prima facie case.
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“What we later discovered is that the PC’s [provincial commissioner’s] contract was running out and the commissioner at that time was Riah Phiyega, and its obvious that she was aware of this investigation and all the other investigations.
“She needed something from Noko to exonerate the PC and everybody else to renew the PC’s contract for another five years,” Loggerenberg said.
Loggerenberg said the request to exonerate Ngobeni came from the national commissioner who wanted to extend Ngobeni’s contract.
Loggerenberg said Ngobeni’s contract was extended. However, she resigned from her position in 2018.
The head of the Hawks, General Godfrey Lebeya, will give testimony at the commission on Thursday.
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