‘Cash Couriers and Cartel Kings’: Top Cop Shadrack Sibiya Grilled at Madlanga Over Alleged Criminal Ties

Suspended deputy police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya appeared before the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday to answer explosive allegations that he maintained close ties with alleged cartel leaders and benefited financially from their criminal operations.

Sibiya, a senior figure within police crime intelligence structures, faces claims that he was in cahoots with Katiso “KT” Molefe and Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlalamen described in testimony as key players in organised crime networks.

At the heart of the allegations is a startling claim: that Sibiya used Sergeant Fannie Nkosi as a courier to collect cash payments from Molefe and Matlala.

‘A Conduit for Cash’

Testimony placed before the commission suggested that Nkosi allegedly gathered paymentshard cashon Sibiya’s behalf. The arrangement, if proven, would represent a catastrophic breach of trust: a senior police official not merely failing to pursue criminals, but actively enriching himself from their activities while allegedly shielding them from law enforcement.

The relationship, according to evidence heard by the commission, went beyond professional contact. It allegedly involved a systematic flow of money and protection, raising questions about whether senior police leadership was compromised while criminal networks operated with impunity.

Sibiya’s Denial

Sibiya has consistently denied any wrongdoing. His testimony on Wednesday is expected to directly address the claims under oath, as the commission tests the credibility of witnesses and the weight of evidence presented so far.

The suspended deputy commissioner faces a daunting task: rebutting detailed testimony that paints him as a protected figure within a web of criminality.

A Commission Probing the Rot

The Madlanga Commission is investigating allegations of corruption, interference, and criminal infiltration within law enforcement. Proceedings have exposed deep-seated concerns that elements within the police may have shielded organised crime figures instead of dismantling their operations.

The commission’s work comes amid renewed focus on cleaning up South Africa’s security services. In his recent State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised the need for stricter vetting of police and metro police officers to prevent criminal elements from embedding themselves within the system.

The Bigger Picture

Sibiya’s testimony is not occurring in a vacuum. The allegations against him mirror a broader pattern documented across multiple commissions of inquiry: law enforcement figures allegedly compromised by their proximity to criminal wealth and influence.

If the commission finds that a deputy national police commissioner was indeed receiving cash through a subordinate from known cartel figures, the implications for police credibility will be devastating. It would confirm the worst fears of a public that has long suspected the thin blue line sometimes runs both ways.

For now, Sibiya faces the questions under oath. His answers will determine not only his own fate, but the commission’s understanding of how deeply criminal networks penetrated the highest levels of police leadership.

{Source: IOL}

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