An ANC councillor, sought for the murder of a fellow councillor in Umlazi, was reportedly advised by an attorney to evade the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) police officers.
Concurrently, a senior crime intelligence officer directed one of the councillor’s bodyguards to steal the lawyer’s car containing the councillor, enabling him to escape arrest by the PKTT.
This was revealed by Magistrate Jackie Jonck, who has since convicted the crime intelligence officer Thulani Obed Thango.
Thango was found guilty of defeating the administration of justice by helping former eThekwini councillor Mthokozisi Nojiyeza evade arrest for a few hours on December 21, 2018. Nojiyeza was wanted for the murder of Umlazi councillor Sibusiso Maphumulo.
PKTT sergeant Sizwe Sokhela testified in the Durban Magistrate’s Court that on the morning of December 21, they obtained a warrant of arrest for Nojiyeza.
After searching for him without success and being misled about his whereabouts, Lunga Peter, his lawyer, contacted the team, offering to hand over Nojiyeza at the Durban Central police station.
However, upon arrival, Peter was alone and made demands regarding the warrant, docket, and appointment cards of the officers.
He claimed Nojiyeza would arrive with a mayor’s convoy and that he himself had arrived by Taxify.
However, PKTT members spotted Constable Ayanda Gumede, assigned to guard Nojiyeza, walking towards the station’s parking lot.
“Gumede said he was dropped off by Thango, who instructed him to steal a black Audi TT that belonged to the attorney (Peter),” Sokhela said.
Gumede also stated that Nojiyeza had been travelling with Thango and another person in a Toyota Etios.
The PKTT located the Audi in the station’s parking lot; it had a door slightly open and had dimmed windows, revealing someone inside. Upon instruction, the person opened the door and confirmed he was Councillor Nojiyeza, who was then arrested.
The officers realised Peter had misled them. In video footage of the station, Peter was seen rushing to get into the Audi after Nojiyeza was arrested. The PKTT claimed that he did not follow them, and his phone was on voicemail.
During the arrest, Nojiyeza claimed he left his phone and hat in Thango’s car. Later, in Umlazi, officers discovered a small Stylos cellphone on Nojiyeza with a text message from Peter, saying: “Try to get away if you can and delete the message.”
When Thango was called to bring Nojiyeza’s other phone, only the hat was found in the Etios, not the phone needed for the Maphumulo murder case.
“The murder case against Nojiyeza was later struck off the court roll, and another individual was subsequently tried, convicted, and sentenced for the murder, meaning Nojiyeza was not ultimately prosecuted for the original charge,” Magistrate Jonck said.
Jonck found the PKTT members and other State witnesses’ evidence credible, stating that the State, led by senior prosecutor Nkululeko Msiya, proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Thango acted in common purpose with Peter to defeat the administration of justice.
No verdict was given for Peter due to his death. Thango is set to be sentenced in November.
