Policeman Karl Sander links R200m cocaine theft to Hawks management, polygraph test invalidated

Warrant Officer Karl Sander, formerly with the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal, testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, stating that the thieves who stole a R200-million cocaine consignment from Hawks offices in Port Shepstone in 2021 were connected to the unit's management. Sander, who previously worked on narco-trafficking investigations, believes his transfer from the unit was an attempt to remove him from drug trafficking cases. He also revealed that a polygraph test he supposedly failed, which indicated "deception" regarding the stolen cocaine, was later deemed invalid due to "serious errors" made by the examiner. Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, the commission chairperson, confirmed that Sander was "effectively exonerated." Lieutenant Colonel Justice Jabulani Duma, an undercover police officer, also testified, expressing a loss of trust in the Hawks after learning through media reports that the cocaine he helped intercept was stolen from their offices. Other witnesses, including Warrant Officer Bheki Setshedi and Lieutenant Colonel Patience Songca, provided testimony related to the handling of the cocaine and interactions with Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Jacobs, one of the officers who initially followed up on the consignment.