IPID investigator pressed over ‘informer’ label in probe of Aeroton cocaine seizure

What the commission is examining

According to IOL, the proceedings relate to a July 2021 operation in Aeroton, south of Johannesburg, when police confiscated 751 kilograms of cocaine from a truck. The seizure was followed by allegations that two South African Police Service officers, a Gauteng traffic officer and a civilian, Tumelo Nku, attempted to unlawfully access the consignment.

After those arrests, the officers lodged a complaint with IPID, triggering an investigation now under scrutiny at the commission.

Dispute over the term ‘informer’

Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga challenged Maphosho over documentation that described Nku as a police informer. Madlanga asked:

“Why do you call him an informer? Does it mean that you accepted he was an informer, because you are stating it as a fact?”

Maphosho told the commission that the description came from information provided by Nku himself. She added that the information had not been verified because Nku had named a handler who, she said, had already died.

Evidence shown to the commission

According to IOL, the commission was shown WhatsApp messages allegedly exchanged between Nku and Gauteng traffic officer Samuel Mashaba, which detailed plans to help the truck avoid police detection.

Next steps

Proceedings are expected to resume at 9:30am as the Madlanga Commission continues to probe the allegations, IOL reports.

According to IOL, IOL is one of South Africa’s leading news and information websites bringing millions of readers breaking news and updates on politics, current affairs and other topics.