Isipingo SAP

Lieutenant Colonel Jacob and his team escorted individuals to Isipingo SAP where they assisted in offloading black bags containing suspected cocaine bricks which were then counted by DPCI members.

“Then we were escorted by Lieutenant Colonel Jacob and his team to Isipingo SAP, where we assisted in offloading the black bags. The DPCI members were busy counting the bags. The yellow and black bags, bricks, sorry, of suspected Cocaine when we left the scene.”

Colonel Jacob considered that carrying exhibits to a less congested area at the far end of the CHC container depot posed certain risks but deemed it safer than conveying them to Isipingo SAP about four kilometers away, which is situated near Umlazi, a high-risk area. He also considered calling a tactical team to assist but decided against it due to their longer response time and preference for unpacking and counting at the police station to reduce risk.

“I considered possibly carrying these bags to a less congested area at the far end of the depot. In my opinion, the risk associated with conveying these exhibits to another part of the depot was greater than the risk of conveying the exhibits to Isipingo SAP, which is approximately four kilometers away from the depot. The depot is situated approximately 11 kilometers away from Umlazi, which is a high-risk area. I considered calling a tactical team to assist to secure the area, but decided against it as I knew their response time would be longer than I would have required. I also based this decision on the basis that the unpacking and counting at the police station would pose lesser risk.”

Isipingo SAP would not store these exhibits; efforts were made to find storage and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) was contacted but had no storage space.

“I knew Isipingo SAP would not store these exhibits. I called the FSL whilst at the station, not only to attend the scene, but to ask if they had storage space for the drugs. They indicated that they did not have space.”

Colonel Jacob asserts that Isipingo SAP has never had a problem with storing exhibits before the theft of drugs incident on 8 November 2021.

“According to evidence tendered, Isipingo has never had a problem with storing exhibits before ...”

Colonel Jacob says the confusion regarding exhibits storage may stem from mixing up incidents in February 2020 with the 22 June 2021 incident at Isipingo SAP where exhibits were refused.

“I think I mixed up our previous incident in February 2020 ... and the whole debacle there ... I am the one that secured Durban Central SAP with regards to storing those exhibits that Isipingo had turned away.”

In early 2020, Isipingo SAP stored Mandrax exhibits from February 6 until November 12, after which they were transported to the FSL Pretoria for destruction.

“these exhibits had to be stored at Durban Central SAP from the 6th of February 2020 until the 12th of November 2021 when they were taken to the FSL Pretoria for destruction”

Warrant Officer Perumal reported a member getting sick due to the drugs stored at Isipingo SAP, supporting the credibility of his concerns about the drugs and storage conditions.

“Entry 387 is made by the very same Warrant Officer Perumal, and it pertains to a member getting sick due to the drugs stored there . Surely this speaks to the credibility of Warrant Officer Perumal”

In 2021, Durham Central SAP still had exhibits booked out of Isipingo SAP from February 6, 2020, indicating they had not taken back the drugs due to lack of storage capacity.

“Durban Central still had the exhibits booked out of Isipingo SAP on the 6th February 2020”

Colonel Jacob denies any criminal conduct at the crime scene or at Isipingo SAPS in relation to the handling of exhibits.

“none of my actions at the crime scene or at Isipingo SAP amounted to criminal conduct”

Warrant Officer Perumal denied the existence of a storage place and exhibit bags for the stolen drugs in a statement obtained during the investigation.

“I believe it goes along the lines where he denies that there is no storage place. He denies that there were no exhibit bags.”

Colonel Jacob made a decision not to move exhibits from the crime scene to the CHC depot due to being a 5-minute drive away, no available exhibit bags, and the presence of uniformed border police members, although he now regrets that decision.

“I took that decision at that stage, based on no bags, based on our situation that we were working in... I knew in my mind, I knew that Isipingo SAP is going to have exhibit bags.”

These members radioed their commander to inform him they were going to assist with conveying exhibits to Isipingo SAP.

“They radioed their commander to inform him that they were going to assist with regards to conveying exhibits to Isipingo SAP.”

Sergeant Govender and Sergeant Mkhize were approached by Lieutenant Colonel Jacob and Captain Duma during container inspections when black canvas bags containing alleged cocaine were identified and loaded for transport to Isipingo SAP.

“Sergeant Govender... was approached by two other police officials dressed in civilian attire. They identified themselves as Lieutenant Colonel Jacob from DPCI and another Captain Duma from Crime Intelligence... identified some black canvas bags that allegedly had cocaine in them... transferred these black bags from the container into the H1 marked state vehicle... escorted by Lieutenant Colonel Jacob and his team to Isipingo SAP, where we assisted in offloading the black bags.”

Warrant Officer Sander booked exhibits into SAP 13 register via Isipingo SAP and noted members were making sick due to the exhibits.

“He made it clear that these exhibits were to be booked out the following day. He indicated that they did not have members to guard these exhibits. I booked these exhibits into SAP 13 register via Isipingo SAP 13163/2020. On the following day, the date as I mentioned is incorrect, it is 02-06. Someone from my office called me to inform me that Isipingo SAP called, indicating that the exhibits were making the members sick. I proceeded to Isipingo SAP with a team. I noticed the charge office members were outside the building. I did then book out the exhibits for analysis with Warrant Officer Perumal countersigning the SAP 13 register to acknowledge the same.”

Durban Central SAP agreed to assist with storage of exhibits after Isipingo SAP could not accommodate them.

“I knew that Isipingo SAP would not take these exhibits back. I am unsure how it transpired, but I do recall that Durban Central SAP had agreed to assist with storage of these exhibits. We stored these drugs at a vault at Durban Central SAP.”