Former spy boss Muofhe suing for 'falsified qualification' claim

Mahlodi Muofhe, the former director of the State Security Agency, is suing the inspector-general of intelligence, Dr Sethlomamaru Dintwe, for R500,000.

This is because of claims by Dintwe that he was investigating allegations that Muofhe had falsified his qualifications.

Muofhe has asked the high court in Pretoria to declare that Dintwe violated his rights to dignity and privacy. Muofhe said his rights were violated when Dintwe announced during a television interview on eNCA in November last year that he was investigating Muofhe for “falsifying his qualifications”.

In his affidavit, dated December 7, Muofhe said that during the interview Dintwe was asked whether he had received a complaint about an investigation into Muofhe.

Muofhe said Dintwe confirmed that there was an investigation from an anonymous complainant.

“The respondent [Dintwe] made a statement that he was investigating me for falsifying my qualifications. The statement was made recklessly and in blatant disregard and violation of my rights,” Muofhe said.

Muofhe said that at the time Dintwe made the statement, he was director of the SSA's domestic branch.

“This is a very important, sensitive and highly placed position in the service and reports both to the responsible minister and the president of the republic.”

Muofhe said given the highly sensitive position he occupied, it would have been very easy for Dintwe to verify the truthfulness of the allegations. Muofhe said the easiest thing for Dintwe to do would have been to call him and ask for the proof of his qualifications. Muofhe said he would have shown this to Dintwe.

“He did not have to appear on television and announce that he was investigating me. The announcement by the respondent was callous, malicious, reckless and hurtful,” Muofhe said.

Muofhe said the anonymous complaint which Dintwe claimed to have received was malicious and frivolous.

He said that as someone charged with oversight over intelligence services it was wrong to perpetuate the malicious information. “He should have done the basics and contacted me, and I would have shown him my qualifications.

“Instead he chose to go public with the anonymous complaint. He was not supposed to give an interview on television about me.”

Muofhe said he had obtained qualifications in law, which he attached to his application.

In August this year, Dintwe cleared Muofhe of allegations that he had falsified his qualification.

In the letter to Muofhe dated August 17 2021 and attached to the court papers, Dintwe said “we hereby indicate that the anonymous complaint was found to be without merit and the allegations untrue and the motive for submitting such a complaint and allegations can only be speculated”.

The IGI's spokesperson, Jay Govender, said on Thursday the court papers had not been served on the office of the IGI.

She refused to comment on the merits of the case.

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