By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider 

Former head of the Hawks, Godfrey Lebeya, appeared in front of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry to give his testimony. He told the commission that he could not recall whether former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks Head, Leseja Senona, had told him where 541kg of cocaine was being stored. 

Lebeya was cross-examined at commission, where he was asked if the Hawks’ facility in Port Shepstone had experienced any sort of break-in, including when the 541kg of cocaine had been stolen from the facility in 2021. 

Lebeya informed the commission that he only became aware of the consignment only after it had been placed in storage. However in a previous testimony, Senona had testified that he had indeed informed his supervisor, Lebeya, that the drugs were to be stored at the Port Shepstone facility.

 “Safes such as this are difficult to break into and are ideal for the storage of this type of seizure if we have this kind of challenge. I then told Lebeya the Port Shepstone offices had previously safely stored a large quantity of 10 mandrax and hashish compressed baggage,” said Senona. 

Lebeya expressed that he could not contest what Senona had testified but maintains that he does not recall being told where the drugs were being stored.

 “I can’t say that he’s lying. I can’t recall him informing me as to where he had stored the drugs. That is the view I have, that he did not inform me,” said Lebeya. 

He stated that the storage of seized drugs was not his responsibility as the national head of Hawks and that there are several other drug consignments that had been previously stored at the facility. “It is possible that he may have informed me. It is the responsibility of the operational units to store the exhibits where they are supposed to be stored,” he said.

 In regards to the stolen cocaine, Lebeya has expressed that the Hawks offices had been facing major challenges in regards to their security. “The fact that they were stored in a walk-in safe, one would believe that they are safe,” said Lebeya. 

Lebeya had authorised two investigations which involved the provincial Hawks commissioner and the head of the serious organised crime component. “That is my involvement, assigning the responsible officials to look at the theft that occurred,” said Lebeya in his testimony.

 He also denied that Senona had possession of the keys to the safe room and he said that he had learned more about the circumstances surrounding the burglary according to a factual report which had been compiled by deputy Hawks head Tebello Mosikidi. 

“The briefing that he gave me was sufficient to know that the burglary had taken place by known suspects,” said Lebeya. 

In the report given to Lebeya by Mosikidi, firearms had been left untouched in the other safes which suggests that the specific target was the confiscated cocaine.

 Evidence Leader Lee Seegals-Ncube had questioned why Lebeya had given the task to Senona with investigating the theft when he allegedly was in possession of the keys to the safe.

 Lebeya’s defense to this was that Senona was the supervisor who was responsible for managing the staff that were involved with the securing of the drugs and was not seen as a suspect.

 “Because he is the supervisor and he has to do human resource processes. And if a disciplinary process must be done, he must be the one to do it on the personnel under his supervision,” Lebeya replied. 

Lebeya blames the mishap on lack of leadership and poor oversight as well as a lack of coordination from Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo. He said that he had not been informed of the operation.