National
Hawks boss allegedly interfering in case against man with Zuma ties─── 10:52 Sat, 25 Apr 2015
Johannesburg - Acting Hawks boss Major General Benny Ntlemeza is believed to be interfering with the planned prosecution of a flamboyant KwaZulu-Natal businessman with ties to the Zuma family.
Thoshan Panday, a business partner of President Jacob Zuma's son, Edward, will apparently be prosecuted for his alleged attempts to buy provincial Hawks head Major General Johan Booysen.
Three independent sources with knowledge of the investigation confirmed to Beeld that Ntlemeza travelled to Durban two weeks ago to discuss the case with KwaZulu-Natal Director of Public Prosecutions Moipone Noko.
Ntlemeza and Noko have denied that such a meeting took place.
"He was handpicked because he does not bend under pressure. Gerrie is not known as the 'bulldog' for nothing," a source said.
Ntlemeza apparently went to see Noko in Durban with a request that a "selected prosecutor" take over the case, Beeld's source said.
Noko previously withdraw the charges against Panday, but the National Prosecuting Authority reconsidered the matter after it received two independent requests from the Hawks (then under the leadership of Lieutenant General Anwa Dramat) and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.
The NPA's decision to prosecute has not been officially announced, but Beeld's sources have confirmed that it was already consulting with Nel.
"There was no such meeting between Ntlemeza and advocate Noko anywhere or at anytime," Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.
According to the NPA, Noko also denied meeting with Ntlemeza.
Panday and Colonel Navin Madhoe from the Durban police are being investigated for alleged corruption, racketeering and fraud of about R60m.
The case will apparently lead to other high-ranking police officials who had a "corrupt relationship" with Panday and were believed to be protecting him.
The current controversy of the bribery case, stems from Booysen's investigation into Panday's alleged corrupt activities.
Booysen alleges that Madhoe was sent by Panday in 2011 to buy his silence.
Booysen had worked with the NPA to set a trap for Madhoe.
Madhoe was arrested in September 2011 moments after putting about R1.3m in Booysen's car.
