I can wipe you and your family out: Sibiya’s ‘threats’ to teen’s dad

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Opens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowEnter fullscreen mode displaying this image.ExpandSuspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya faces five charges, including rape, sexual grooming and trafficking. Picture: Thapelo Morebudi “What are you busy with, do you know that it can take me a minute to wipe you and your family out?”

This is what embattled suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya is alleged to have said in a call to the father of a 16-year-old girl he is accused of sexually grooming.

This was revealed at the Randburg magistrate’s court during Sibiya’s bail application on Thursday.

Sibiya faces five charges including rape, trafficking in persons and the sexual grooming of the 16-year-old girl.

The state alleges that between July and August, Sibiya exchanged communication with the 16-year-old whose father is Sibiya’s bodyguard and is referred to as “Mr M” in court.

In the same chats, Sibiya allegedly requested explicit material from the teen.

Testifying in the bail application, investigating officer Sgt Nokukhanya Ndlovu told the court that there is likelihood that Sibiya would endanger the safety of others if released.

She told the court that Mr M is the 16-year-old complainant’s father who had opened the case.

According to Ndlovu, when Sibiya found that the father had opened a case, he called him and said: “What are you doing, do you know it can take a minute to wipe you and your family?”

Sibiya is also alleged to have told Mr Mr that he bought him food, supported him and that if there was a person to deal with, he (Mr M) is the easiest person to deal with, Ndlovu told the court.

Ndlovu testified that Mr M inferred that Sibiya was threatening him with that statement.

The court also heard that an unknown person also called “Mr M” pretended to be the investigating officer on September 19, a day after the inquiry into the matter became a criminal investigation.

The person allegedly inquired if Mr M had opened the case against Sibiya.

Ndlovu also revealed that Mr M received a call from a police officer close to Sibiya, who asked him: “Are you going to stand for what you have started?”

Other events that the state used to demonstrate that Sibiya is likely to interfere with the case is a telephonic call that Sibiya’s ally, “Bishop” Azwihangwi Maumela, made to Mr M after Sibiya was arrested.

In it, Maumela is heard telling Mr M that he has been told that when Sibiya allegedly raped a second victim, an 18-year-old, he − Mr M − was present.

“The reason I called is because I thought you know the girl and we could sit down with her,” Maumela said in the call.

Ndlovu further said that the 18-year-old was scared to open a case of rape because of Sibiya’s status and was also scared of informing her parents.

The state also flagged in court as a form of threat or intimidation the utterances Maumela made during interviews with the media on Sibiya’s first appearance in court when he said: “We will retaliate.”

Maumela later withdrew the statement. Sibiya has also since distanced himself from Maumela.

Sibiya has denied the allegations levelled against him, describing them as unfounded.

In explaining how he came into possession of explicit material involving the 16-year-old, Sibiya told the court that Mr M had sent it to him. He further claimed that Mr M had told him that his daughter had a crush on him.

Regarding the rape allegation, Sibiya told the court that he had met the 18-year-old at a hotel while she was in the company of her friends. He claimed that the group was highly intoxicated and that he left the hotel.

He said Mr M invited him back the following day, telling him that the women wanted to see him again and were unhappy that he had left early the previous evening.

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