Mkhwanazi denies allegations of protecting ‘drug dealing’ prison official from arrest

14 January 2025 - 07:42
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KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi explained why a prison official was not arrested when drugs were found within correctional facility premises. File photo.
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi explained why a prison official was not arrested when drugs were found within correctional facility premises. File photo.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has denied allegations of abusing his power and interfering in the arrest of a senior department of correctional services official suspected of running a drug cartel at the Westville Maximum Security Prison.

Mkhwanazi was reportedly accused of protecting the official by preventing his arrest.

Speaking to SAfm, Mkhwanazi said he received a call about the arrest in the middle of the night last year and immediately sought clarification from the commander.

According to Mkhwanazi, police received a tip-off about drugs being available in a house within the prison premises. However, when the house was searched, nothing was found. Instead, drugs were discovered in a communal dustbin.

“When I asked the commander what transpired, he told me they received a tip-off about drugs available in a particular house,” he said.

“The house was within the correctional services facility, which has residential accommodation. They entered the house and searched the entire premises but did not find any drugs.

“They had received a tip-off that drugs were hidden in a dustbin in a communal area outside the house. They took the prison official to the dustbin and found the drugs.”

Mkhwanazi said there was insufficient evidence to arrest the official as there was no proof the official was responsible for placing the drugs in the dustbin.

“ I asked whether a police officer invited a crime scene expert to process the scene. They did not do that.

“ Then I asked how sure he was that this person was the one who placed the drugs in the dustbin. The officer's answer was that he did not have a 100% guarantee that this is the person who placed drugs there.”

He also indicated proper procedures were not followed during the arrest.

“As a police officer, you know the law. You open a case or inquiry, confiscate the drugs, put them in a register, and turn them over to forensics to confirm whether they are drugs. You then have to investigate the crime scene so you can eliminate the people who should not be arrested. Only then can you guarantee this is a suspect.”

The incident occurred more than six months ago, and despite ongoing investigations, the identity of the person who placed the drugs in the dustbin remains unknown.

“As responsible SAPS members and responsible management of the organisation, we cannot abuse the authority we have in terms of limiting people's movements by arresting them for no reason.”

TimesLIVE


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