Hawks official suggests cocaine theft scene may have been staged
via The Citizen5 min read
Brigadier Campbell Nyuswa, the suspended Provincial Commander for Serious Organised Crime Investigation of the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal, testified before the Madlanga commission that the theft of 541kg of suspected cocaine from the DPCI offices in Port Shepstone in November 2021 might have been a staged event. Nyuswa, who was suspended for allegedly failing to comply with legislation regarding exhibit storage, denied involvement in the theft. He distanced himself from suspended KZN Hawks head Lesetja Senona, stating their relationship was strictly professional. Nyuswa recounted how he identified the Port Shepstone offices for storing the cocaine due to secure safes, despite knowing about other security lapses. He informed Senona, who then instructed him on procedures, including taking possession of both the original and spare keys to the safe. Nyuswa expressed skepticism about the safe being breached by grinding the door, suggesting it might have been a setup, especially since the landlord had previously stated the safes could not be breached without a key. He noted that only Senona possessed the keys, leading commissioners to question if the safe was opened with a key and the grinder used as a ruse.
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