Former Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya has accused South African Police Service (SAPS) leadership of abandoning him in the aftermath of the chaotic arrest of "KT" Molefe, according to Daily Maverick.
Lebeya's remarks expose factional divisions within the police service, the outlet reports. He testified that he acted on a tip from a civilian before launching the takedown operation that led to Molefe's arrest, according to EWN.
The former elite crime-fighting unit boss also confirmed that no investigation was ever opened into the 2021 theft of cocaine from a Hawks evidence store in Port Shepstone, EWN reports. That admission came during his appearance before the Madlanga Commission, which is probing police conduct.
Lebeya's testimony paints a picture of a senior officer left to face the consequences alone after a high-risk operation went wrong. His claim that SAPS leadership distanced itself from him suggests the arrest was not a coordinated effort but a decision taken on his own initiative, based on information from outside official channels.
The Madlanga Commission is expected to hear from a new witness next, according to SABC News. That testimony could shed further light on whether Lebeya's version of events is supported by others who were present during the Molefe operation.
The commission's findings may determine whether the factional tensions Lebeya described are isolated or systemic within South Africa's police leadership.
