Johannesburg - One of the men accused of conspiring to kill forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan and Colonel Nkosana “Killer” Ximba has alleged that the police officer was selling personal information for monetary gain.
Sibusiso Miya was arrested last week at a restaurant in Sandton, allegedly hours before he was to carry out a plot to kill O’Sullivan and Ximba.
Shortly after his arrest, Owen Serero and Zoe Biyela were arrested at the Road Lodge in Rivonia. A fourth arrest, of Jacob Nare, was made at his house in Sandton.
All four accused appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of robbery of motor vehicles with aggravated circumstances (armed hijacking), two counts of theft of motor vehicles, and two counts of possession of illegal firearms and ammunition.
Miya appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on additional charges of kidnapping and attempted murder.
This case will be joined to the same case involving Radovan Krejcir, Desai Luphondo and two members of the Hawks, Samuel “Saddam” Maropeng and Machache Nthoroane. Miya will be the fifth accused in the matter.
Miya’s attorney, Saleem Ebrahim, said his client claims in a statement his role in the conspiracy to commit murder has been “fabricated” to cover up the alleged involvement of a senior police officer in the case.
The Star has learnt that one of these officers is allegedly Ximba.
“On my client’s version, it appears that this entire matter has been created with the sole purpose of disguising the alleged illegal conduct of this senior police official, who allegedly utilised state resources in order to further his own financial interests,” the statement said.
“He allegedly sold confidential information to willing buyers.”
The Star understands this confidential information was allegedly GPS co-ordinates.
“These concerns, if found to be true, seriously call into question the operation of criminal syndicates within the South African Police Service,” said the statement.
National police commissioner General Riah Phiyega’s spokesman, Solomon Makgale, said Miya’s attorney’s allegations had not been brought to their attention.
“We encourage him to come forward with the information. It is interesting that these allegations are only surfacing now, after Miya and his accomplices have been arrested. We will nonetheless look into these allegations should they be brought to our attention,” Makgale said.
Ebrahim said his client maintained that he was tortured by the police. He said he was made to kneel, handcuffed and a rod was placed between his knees.
He alleges he was left in that position for hours, with blood rushing to his head.
Ebrahim said he had instructions to report the alleged conduct of these police officers to the relevant authorities.
Ximba denied the claims.
“Oh that’s beautiful,” he said. “Why would I arrest people if I provided them with GPS co-ordinates?
“Obviously, this story doesn’t make sense, even a child can see that. These people wanted to kill me. How could I have been working with them?” Ximba said.
He said the allegations were aimed at discrediting him and the State’s case.
Ximba is one of the lead investigators in a task team appointed to investigate Krejcir.
He was a co-accused in the 2011 murder and kidnapping case against suspended crime intelligence boss Lieutenant-General Richard Mdluli. The case was dropped as the magistrate found there was insufficient evidence to implicate him.
But in September, Pretoria High Court Judge John Murphy ruled that all criminal charges, including the one of murder, should immediately be reinstated against the two.
The Star