By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
SAPS National Intervention Unit officer Steve Phakula testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry about the 2021 Aeroton drug bust in which police seized more than 700 kilograms of cocaine.
Phakula was responding to allegations that he contaminated the crime scene during the drug seizure in Aeroton, south of Johannesburg.
He testified on the police drug bust and the disappearance of exhibits while in police custody.
Phakula testified that he knew drugs had been intercepted in Aeroton because he could “smell” cocaine at the scene.
But it was pointed out to him that the cocaine had been tightly wrapped in plastic and was inside canvas bags, making it unlikely that he could smell it.
Questioned by Madlanga Commission chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, Phakula acknowledged that before the bust, he had never smelled the drug.
Madlanga put it to Phakula: “You’ve told many untruths.”
He also testified that he avoided touching the bags to prevent contamination, but later conceded that he had in fact touched one of the open bags.
Evidence leader Tebogo Mosikili questioned why the officer handled exhibits without gloves and attempted to move evidence seals.
Mosikili said the fact that a scene had already been contaminated “is by no means a licence for anyone to contaminate the scene further”.
Phakula agreed, saying, “Yes, you’re correct. I accept that. People wanted to take over the crime scene.”
He described the scene as chaotic and claimed there were attempts to take control of the operation.
Aside from Phakula, the others arrested in the Aeroton cocaine case were Warrant Officer Marumo Magane of the Zonkizizwe police station in Gauteng; Samuel Mashaba, the acting deputy director of Gauteng’s community safety department; and businessman Tumelo Nku.
Testifying on Tuesday, Magane said he was the first officer to arrive at the site. While he admitted to contaminating the crime scene, he flatly denied allegations that he had intended to spirit away the R286-million worth of cocaine to evade the oversight of his colleagues.
He linked senior Crime Intelligence official Major-General Feroz Khan to a cocaine bust worth more than R280 million.
Phakula told the commission that some SAPS officers alleged the drugs belonged to Khan.
However, he said he did not report the matter to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
Co-commissioner Sesi Baloyi questioned why Phakula offered to connect an informer to Khan despite being aware of allegations linking the senior officer to drug trafficking.
“Why would you want to make the informer available to General Khan if in that same conversation you say to him, there’s talk that these drugs are yours?” Baloyi asked.
She further put it to him that exposing the informer to someone allegedly linked to the drugs could have placed the informer’s life at risk.
“At the very least, it seems to me that you in fact would have been putting the informer’s life at risk,” she said.
Phakula admitted it was a mistake.
He explained that he was desperate for a statement and believed the informer and Khan could exchange information that might assist the investigation, adding that the scene was already contaminated.
Khan has since been arrested in a separate matter involving the alleged contravention of the Precious Metals Act relating to the possession of gold. He has since been released on R20,000 bail, along with his co-accused, after appearing at the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Monday.