Sergeant Masoma

There was an inquiry opened around August 2020 relating to dealing drugs (heroin, also known as Nyaope) involving Tanzanian nationals in South Africa, operating in Gauteng, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, and also using Uber drivers for transporting drugs.

“it was around August 2020 when Sergeant Masoma opened an inquiry... This is a request to open an inquiry for further investigations. Here it is alleged that persons as mentioned in Annexure A committed the offence of dealing drugs, Heroin, also known as Nyaope ... There is a group of Tanzanian nationals who are currently residing in South Africa. They sell drugs, Nyaope, for personal gain and also own businesses around Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal as a cover-up for their illegal dealings ... They rely on Uber drivers for transporting drugs ...”

Counsel Adv Baloyi SC challenges Witness I's assertion that Masoma was the appointed investigating officer for the Aeroton drug investigation, noting Masoma's name does not appear in the investigation diary and suggesting this may be a misrepresentation.

“Masoma's name does not seem to appear anywhere, and yet you say to us he was appointed to enquire, to investigate under this inquiry number. ... I am saying to you that then surely it cannot be that he is the Investigator and his name does not appear in the diary, which suggests he was not the Investigating Officer in this diary.”

Witness I agrees it is a fair observation that Masoma does not appear as investigating officer in the Aeroton investigation diary, suggesting he was not the appointed investigator for that inquiry.

“Yes , Commissioner ?”

Counsel Adv Baloyi SC asserts that the Port Shepstone drug bust investigation diary contains names of investigating officers but not Masoma, implying Masoma was not the investigator in that inquiry, which contradicts earlier claims.

“We have seen the investigation diary. It contains the names of the people that were the Investigators in that diary, I mean, under that inquiry. From the beginning, from day one, we have names of who were the Investigating Officers, even as it changed . Here , Masoma does not appear as the Investigator, and I am saying to you that then surely it cannot be that he is the Investigator and his name does not appear in the diary, which suggests he was not the Investigating Officer in this diary.”

Witness I denied any knowledge about specific operations and was not informed by members including Masoma about operational duties.

“My response to that was that I know nothing about such operation and that both members did not inform me of any operational duties that they will be part of or information that they had been working on, on the day in question.”

Witness I left Pretoria with Masoma to a scene in Aeroton and was going to verify information, not to execute an operation.

“when we left, it was not for execution. It was to check and verify. It was like it was information-checking... we arrived... it is the same quantity as Masoma received the message.”

In 2020 around August, Sergeant Masoma opened an inquiry on a suspect from Zambezi, Pretoria North for alleged narcotics dealing and transporting; the inquiry file was opened within the unit for preliminary investigation and evidence gathering.

“In 2020, around August, Sergeant Masoma opened an inquiry on an individual from Zambezi, Pretoria North, who was alleged to be dealing and transporting narcotics. An inquiry file is opened within the unit to do preliminary investigation and gather evidence.”

On 9 July 2020, Sergeant Masoma received a tip-off about 23 bags of drugs en route from KwaZulu-Natal, and Witness I requested more details before acting on the tip-off.

“On 9 July 2020, at around 7 a.m., Sergeant Masoma notified me that he had received a tip-off the previous night about 23 bags of drugs en route from KwaZulu-Natal. I asked Sergeant Masoma to obtain more details... before we could act on the tip-off.”

The 23 bags of suspected drugs were linked to the tip-off about the Pretoria inquiry from 6 August 2020, and Sergeant Masoma had also informed the witness the same morning.

“information about the 23 bags of suspected drugs coincided with the information Sergeant Masoma had informed me of the same morning, regarding the tip-off relating to Pretoria inquiry 6/8/2020”

Witness I attended the scene of the drug find with Sergeant Masoma and found the suspect driver already under arrest and drugs were kept in a police bakkie without being booked at Booysens Police Station.

“I immediately went to Johannesburg with Sergeant Masoma from my office ... The driver of the truck transporting the drugs was identified ... already under arrest ... drug bags were kept on police bakkie ... truck containing the drugs was never booked at Booysens Police Station SAP13, but kept at station until it was collected by owner”

Witness I received a call about a truck suspected to have drugs and intended to verify and confirm the information on the scene with Masoma.

“I received a call that there is a truck suspected to be having drugs. My intention and reason I went there with Masoma was to verify the info I received and check if it is true and correct.”

Bruce Paul Bok, Unit Commander of Serious and Organised Crimes, received a telephone call from Major General Khan of CI who asked if Colonel Maluleke was reporting to him and informed that he was going to arrest Colonel Maluleke and Sergeant Masoma for defeating the course of justice.

“At 11:55, I received a telephone call from Major General Khan of CI, who also asked me whether I had a Colonel Maluleke reporting to me... stated that he was going to arrest my member... Colonel Maluleke and Sergeant Masoma... for defeating the course of justice.”

Sergeant Masoma possessed an inquiry file and a message from his former about a container from Durban indicating the container with trucks was leaving Durban Harbour to Gauteng and that Masoma must be ready on standby on 8 July 2021.

“Sergeant Masoma was in possession of an enquiry file and he also showed me a message on his phone between him and his informer talking about the container from Durban . I remember the message on Sergeant Masoma 's cellphone was received on a Thursday , the 8th of July 2021 and it read that the container with the consignment of trucks will be leaving the Durban Harbour to Gauteng and that Sergeant Masoma must be on standby .”