Supra death threat claim fake, say Hawks

Hawks investigators looking into claims by embattled North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo that a hitman has been paid to kill him, now say they believe the allegation is false.

In a report in City Press, two sources have revealed that they “are not buying” the version given by the North West premier’s source.

Mahumapelo laid a complaint with police earlier this month saying he’d been told by a young woman from Mahikeng about an assassination plot in which a contract killer had been paid R250 000 to kill him. He then introduced the woman to the police.

However, once the case was transferred to the provincial Hawks unit, sources say that it began to unravel due to inconsistencies in the witness’s statements.

“It was not difficult to read between the lines and realise the girl was probably coached to lie, but she is definitely not a good liar or was not well trained,” one source told City Press.

“But then, we’re trained to detect it when someone is lying. The premier could have been lied to, or it can be anything really, just not the truth.”

Mahumapelo’s detractors have been doubtful about the assassination plot’s authenticity, noting that it conveniently coincided with the premier’s possibly imminent axing amid ongoing province-wide protests and calls for him to step down. The North West Premier went on extended leave last week instead of resigning as he had said he would.