By MALIBONGWE DAYIMANI and BONGANI FUZILE
Cases of obstruction, interference and unlawful arrest have been opened by under-fire Hawks investigator Captain Luphumlo Lwana at Butterworth police station.
This after the detective, who apparently made enemies with his bosses in Pretoria and the ANC for going after ANC leaders, was ordered out of the Butterworth Magistrate’s Court by Hawks officials.
Lwana had attended the fraud trial of ANC ADM regional secretary Terris Ntutu in his capacity as the investigating officer. He attended despite being taken off the case and case dockets being confiscated in August by his national boss Lieutenant-General Yolisa Matakata.
The fracas took place at Butterworth Magistrate’s Court on October 12, when Ntutu appeared in connection with Mnquma municipality’s R10-million plastic bag tender.
Hawks national spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi would not be drawn into discussing the case and directed the Dispatch to the Eastern Cape police.
“Captain Lwana informed me about his alleged confrontation and informed me he had opened a case. Please direct the inquiry to the SAPS as it is within their domain.”
Eastern Cape police confirmed that Lwana had opened the cases. According to Butterworth police spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha, Lwana claimed he was in court in Butterworth when officers who identified themselves as officers from the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (Hawks) from the province confronted him and asked him what he was doing in court.
“He replied that he was the investigating officer. He was told to follow them to a consulting room where he was threatened with arrest. He got a chance to walk out when one of the officers was answering the phone,” said Manatha.
Popcru slammed the Hawks saying they were protecting ANC heavyweights.
Lwana’s colleagues spoke to the Dispatch for the first time about the incident, saying a source had told them: “He was forcefully removed from his case by senior police officers from another province”.
Lwana, according to the colleagues who spoke to the Dispatch, was manhandled by two police colonels from a special task team that is investigating a number of cases in the province as they wanted him out of the Mnquma tender investigation.
“That was an embarrassing and a defining moment for Lwana as he was dragged into this room opposite the court room and a firearm was produced and he was threatened. This shows how dirty some cops are within the Hawks’ fold,” said the source.
When contacted, Lwana confirmed that he had opened a case against the two officers at Butterworth and East London’s Fleet Street police.
“I can confirm to you that I have opened up these cases with the police against these two senior officers.” — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
Under-fire detective acts against the Hawks
Cases of obstruction, interference and unlawful arrest have been opened by under-fire Hawks investigator Captain Luphumlo Lwana at Butterworth police station.
This after the detective, who apparently made enemies with his bosses in Pretoria and the ANC for going after ANC leaders, was ordered out of the Butterworth Magistrate’s Court by Hawks officials.
Lwana had attended the fraud trial of ANC ADM regional secretary Terris Ntutu in his capacity as the investigating officer. He attended despite being taken off the case and case dockets being confiscated in August by his national boss Lieutenant-General Yolisa Matakata.
The fracas took place at Butterworth Magistrate’s Court on October 12, when Ntutu appeared in connection with Mnquma municipality’s R10-million plastic bag tender.
Hawks national spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi would not be drawn into discussing the case and directed the Dispatch to the Eastern Cape police.
“Captain Lwana informed me about his alleged confrontation and informed me he had opened a case. Please direct the inquiry to the SAPS as it is within their domain.”
Eastern Cape police confirmed that Lwana had opened the cases. According to Butterworth police spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha, Lwana claimed he was in court in Butterworth when officers who identified themselves as officers from the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (Hawks) from the province confronted him and asked him what he was doing in court.
“He replied that he was the investigating officer. He was told to follow them to a consulting room where he was threatened with arrest. He got a chance to walk out when one of the officers was answering the phone,” said Manatha.
Popcru slammed the Hawks saying they were protecting ANC heavyweights.
Lwana’s colleagues spoke to the Dispatch for the first time about the incident, saying a source had told them: “He was forcefully removed from his case by senior police officers from another province”.
Lwana, according to the colleagues who spoke to the Dispatch, was manhandled by two police colonels from a special task team that is investigating a number of cases in the province as they wanted him out of the Mnquma tender investigation.
“That was an embarrassing and a defining moment for Lwana as he was dragged into this room opposite the court room and a firearm was produced and he was threatened. This shows how dirty some cops are within the Hawks’ fold,” said the source.
When contacted, Lwana confirmed that he had opened a case against the two officers at Butterworth and East London’s Fleet Street police.
“I can confirm to you that I have opened up these cases with the police against these two senior officers.” — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
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