adminThupeyo Muleya Harare Bureau
SOUTH Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is reportedly considering preferring criminal charges on former Hawks’ head of Gauteng province, Shadreck Sibiya and four other accomplices who are accused of kidnapping five Zimbabweans in 2010 and illegally extraditing them from the neighbouring country.
The suspects were linked to the murder of Chief Superintendent Chatikobo in Bulawayo in the same year.
The NPA is reported to have early this week tasked the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), with taking statements from ex-Hawks boss Anwa Dramat, Sibiya and four others who are accused of having played an active role in the rendition.
Sibiya is alleged to have led a team that detained Witness Ndeya, his nephew Shepherd Tshuma and their friends Nelson Ndlovu and Maqhawe Sibanda at Orlando Police Station in Soweto before facilitating their transportation to Beitbridge on November 8, 2010.
Sibanda and Ndlovu were dropped off before reaching the border, but Ndeya and Tshuma were handed over to Zimbabwean police.
Days later, Ndeya’s bullet-riddled body was released to his relatives from a Bulawayo mortuary.
Tshuma was released and is said to have returned to South Africa, along with Sibanda and Ndlovu.
Acting Ipid spokesperson Robbie Raburabu confirmed that they recorded statements on Tuesday from Sibiya and four other accomplices while Dramat was yet to respond.
“Everyone has signed except Dramat. We’ve no idea when he will be available to sign, but we’ve notified his lawyer (Sangeer Pansari),” said Raburabu.
He said Ipid will forward the statements to the NPA as soon as they got hold of Dramat.
NPA spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku said they were yet to make a decision on the next step.
“We’ve not made a decision to charge and prosecute. Ipid has been tasked to investigate and the investigations are prosecutor-guided,” Mfaku said.
Sibiya was shown the door in September this year following an internal disciplinary hearing which found him guilty of playing a part in the illegal rendition of Zimbabweans.
He is adamant that he was never involved in any operation where suspects were arrested and deported to Zimbabwe.
Dramat, who also denied his involvement in the renditions, resigned earlier this year after being suspended.
Online Reporter