Warrant Officer Morris

Some statements of Captains Nortje and Warrant Officer Morris show inconsistencies with regard to tampering of exhibit bags containing drugs, which were changed when submitted to forensic science lab.

“Statements of Captain Nortje attached as TK18 and Warrant Officer Morris, TK19 have some inconsistencies with regard to tampering of exhibit bags. 820 exhibit bags were changed when they were submitted at forensic science laboratory.”

Warrant Officer Morris states that exhibits were not changed but repacked into new exhibit bags due to small tears in original bags.

“He says we put, there were small tears in the original exhibit bags, and then we put those bags inside new exhibit bags.”

The forensic analyst only recorded the new unique forensic bag number without indicating if exhibits were taken out of their original bag, and no number reflects that movement.

“No where does he say anything that supports your saying there were exhibits taken out of their original bag. There is no number that reflects that.”

Warrant Officer Morris gave a statement that a bag containing exhibits was changed from one bag number to another during the chain of custody process.

“This bag was changed to this bag... That is when he gave me this statement saying this bag was changed to this bag.”

According to the SAPS Academy booking process on 2021-07-19, the exhibits were intact with no tampering during sealing and booking from Booysens to FSL Silverton, escorted by Gauteng Highway Patrol.

“On Monday, 2021-07-19 together with Warrant Officer Morris, proceeded to SAPS Academy, Pretoria West, booked out the exhibits that were kept for safekeeping, proceeded to the Forensic Science Laboratory, FSL, and handed in the exhibits to be analysed. We were escorted by Gauteng Highway Patrol. During the sealing of the exhibits into the exhibits bags, booking them at SAPS Booysens, booking it from SAPS Booysens to SAPS Academy, Pretoria West and to FSL Silverton, Pretoria, the bags were intact and no exhibits was tampered with.”

Assistant Director Maposho confirmed he asked Warrant Officer Morris and Captain Nortje for statements during the investigation but did not speak to the analyst or Modise.

“Yes, I have, Commissioner. When I requested his statement, yes I did. ... I have when I obtained his statement, Commissioner. ... No, I did not speak to the analyst, Commissioner.”

There was an ongoing investigation against Captain Nortje, Warrant Officer Morris, and an FSL analyst related to the drug bust, with legal advice still awaited.

“The investigation was going to be against Captain Nortje , Warrant Officer Morris , and FSL analyst . I am still waiting for the legal advice .”

There was an administrative error in the statements by Captain Nortje and Warrant Officer Morris about the seizure which was later rectified and communicated to Lieutenant Colonel Sebola.

“Statement of Captain Nortje and Warrant Officer Morris, who performed these seizure together, differs but was rectified and found to be an administrative error... It was sent to me.”

Colonel Sebola indicated to Colonel Steyn that he needed officers to offload bags which were looted in a Nissan bakkie, and that four male persons were interviewed leading to their arrest.

“Colonel Steyn indicated that Captain Nortje and Warrant Officer Morris will assist me in handling those bags looted in the Nissan bakkie. And whilst we were waiting for LCRC to come, I continued interviewing four male persons. That was pointed to me by Warrant Officer-that was pointed to me. That is Warrant Officer Magane, Phakula, Mashaba, and Tumelo Nku. The outcome of the interview led to the arrest of Warrant Officer ... of the four ...”

Warrant Officer Woods of LCRC was present for the unloading and opening of bags that contained suspected drug bricks, with photographic documentation done during the process.

“Warrant Officer Woods of LCRC arrived at around 14H00 or so. And in the presence of all four now arrested – in the presence of the arrested, now Captain Nortje, Warrant Officer Morris, and Mashaba started offloading the black sports bag wrapped with black masking tape from the black Nissan. The first bag was unwrapped and the content inside was brick-like. ... He took photographs of those ...”

Officers Machebe, Morris, and Nortje were responsible for offloading the bags under the scene management of LT-Col Sebola, who oversaw the opening of one bag demonstrating the contents to the suspects.

“Machebe, Morris and Nortje, they are responsible for the offloading. Everything that they are doing, I am now in charge, the scene manager. I am saying to them, there was one example of bag that was opened... I want to show this gentleman what is inside the bag ... Because they are clueless, they do not know what is in the bag. Then that is when ... that was opened.”

Lt-Col Sebola confiscated all cellphones from the arrested persons as part of his investigation at the scene, while Capt Nortje and Morris were recording the exhibits.

“We continued to process the scene and Captain Nortje and Morris were recording the exhibit and as part of my investigation, I confiscated all the cellphones of the arrested person.”

Lt-Col Sebola was always present when Captain Nortje and Warrant Officer Morris were counting and entering exhibits but did not participate in counting or packing the evidence himself.

“I must at all times be present when they are doing this. In the counting, in the entering, those exhibits... they were counting in my presence... I was not physically counting... I was not putting them in evidence bag.”

The number of solid substance blocks measured about 715, with a minor packaging counting discrepancy potentially explained by one block sticking to the side of a bag due to adhesive tape and submitted late to the lab.

“Those kilograms, as long as they are above 500... 715 is the number... one of the bricks got stuck onto the side of the bags... that it was taken and put together with the rest at a later stage... I think in the docket Captain Nortje brought me another statement to say this is an additional statement... affidavit by Mabasa that deals with the additional brick... explained if you look at page 310... they discovered that one of the bricks was stuck and they gave it to the DPCI, Warrant Officer Nortje... And that was taken a month later to the lab, bringing the count to 716.”

When exhibits arrived at the lab, the lab noted small tears in exhibit bags requiring Nortje and Morris to transfer contents to new evidence bags.

“we also heard testimony that when the exhibits arrived at the labs, the lab noted that there were small tears in the exhibit bags, necessitating Nortje and Morris to use, to put eight of the bags into new evidence bags”

Colonel Steyn instructed Captain Nortje and Warrant Officer Morris to handle the issue of safeguarding, counting, and general handling of the exhibits at the scene.

“I specifically told Captain Nortje and Warrant Officer Morris to deal with the issue of the exhibits . The safeguarding , counting , and general handling of the exhibits .”

Captain Nortje and Warrant Officer Morris were specifically instructed to handle exhibits' safeguarding, counting and general handling at the scene.

“I specifically told Captain Nortje and Warrant Officer Morris to deal with the issue of the exhibits . The safeguarding , counting , and general handling of the exhibits .”

Records kept by officers Morris and Nortje might have accounted for the discrepancy in the number of bricks, but Colonel Steyn was not present when the exhibit was booked into SAP 13 register.

“I think if we have a look at Morris and Nortje's statement, they kept record of this. I do not know if one was just missed or something. But I totally agree with you. That would indeed make a lot of sense. ... I was not there when this exhibit was booked into the SAP 13.”

Warrant officer Morris recorded 16 packages in exhibit 296842, which corresponds with the SAP 13 register discrepancy about number of bricks.

“Warrant officer Morris...paragraph 9 of Morris's statement...from the sixth sports bag...the second entry...you will see 296842...And it says 16 packages.”

There is a discrepancy in the count of 715 drug blocks reported by Warrant Officer Morris and Captain Nortje compared to the 700 blocks recorded in the SAP13 register.

“I still do not then have an answer to the discrepancy”

Warrant Officer Morris and Captain Nortje should explain the 15 block discrepancy in the exhibit count reported to Captain Modise.

“Warrant Officer Morris and Captain Nortje should explain why this discrepancy of 15 blocks”

A meeting was held on 3 December with Forensics where Colonel Steyn and others requested to physically see the exhibits but the consignment could not be found and Forensics indicated there was a problem.

“the first meeting we had with the people at Forensics in an effort to try and address this tasking that I received... they went and looked for it, but they could not find the whole consignment and they returned to us and they said to us, well, there is now a problem”

A statement was taken from Warrant Officer Morris regarding the recount, with a question about why the recount was done from their side.

“last week they took a statement from Warrant Officer Morris, and I was approached on Friday, past Friday, to tender a statement from my side on, actually one of the questions that they ask is why was the recount done from our side?”

There were administrative errors regarding serial numbers on evidence bags collected during a seizure, but these were rectified.

“Errors in relation to serial numbers on evidence bag. Statement of Captain Nortje and Warrant Officer Morris who performed the seizure together differs, but was rectified and found to be an administrative error.”

Colonel Steyn commented that the difference regarding serial number errors between Nortje's and Morris's statements was likely rectified during his absence.

“Statement from Nortje and Morris, that error or the differences between their statements must have been rectified in my time of absence.”