By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The embattled Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) Chief, Julius Mkhwanazi has been served with his 5th arrest warrant after leaving the dock during his bail hearing for the Emmanuel Mbense murder case.
The warrant is in connection with the fitting of the blue lights in the Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala motorcade.
Matlala is accused of supplying generous gifts – including 20 impalas, the weight-loss drug Ozempic and personal loans – to help him buy influence and get police contracts.
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) investigators served Mkhwanazi with an arrest warrant regarding blue lights fitted to 2 BMWs, a Mercedes-Benz and a Volkswagen belonging to Matlala as court concluded for the day.
These vehicles were irregularly registered as City of Ekurhuleni assets and fitted with blue emergency lights.
The arrangement between Mkhwanazi and Matlala has been under scrutiny at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
Mkhwanazi, private security company owner Cobus Janse van Rensburg, EMPD officer Adrian MacKenzie, former EMPD officer Keisha-Leigh Stols, former police sergeant Juan-Maré Eksteen and former police Sergeant Bhekokwakhe Sibande appeared in Brakpan magistrate court for the murder of Mbense as their bail applications continued.
Mbense was found resting before the group ransacked his property and interrogated him about stolen copper.
The state alleges that he was assaulted and tortured during the questioning.
Mbense’s body was later dumped at Spaarwater Dam in Duduza, Nigel, allegedly on Mkhwanazi’s instruction before the victim was discovered on 15 April 2022.
They face charges of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and defeating or obstructing the administration of justice.
During the proceedings, IPID investigator Nomsa Masuku was back on the witness stand, facing further cross-examination by the defence lawyers.
Masuku was questioned extensively about the police officers present when Mbense was killed.
She told the court that SAPS records showed that no on-duty officer from the Brakpan police station had attended the scene on the fateful day.
While the defence sought to undermine the state’s evidence, Masuku told the court that the seriousness of the charges created a significant risk that the accused could evade trial.
“During the investigation, they never thought it was going to be this serious because they had thought this case was not going to end anywhere, “she said.
Masuku added: “They were having meetings here and there concerning the matter because they were all aware from 2022 about [the investigation]. They knew that if someone died, a case will come out.”
The six are currently applying to be released on bail after being charged with Mbense’s murder and disposing of his body. According to SAPS, four suspects connected to the murder have since died.