Mr Iby

Advocate Segeels suggests that Mr Nku succeeded in becoming part of the network since he received a screenshot of a conversation relevant to the network planning.

“But it seems from this text that you succeeded, because why would they send you a screenshot of a conversation between John Wick and Iby if you had not been successful in becoming part of their network”

Mr Nku states that his introduction to the consignment group by Mr Maphatsoe was vague and not specific to any consignment but was part of internal planning connected to competitors of Iby.

“The introduction was not consignment specific, I would say that, but it was because they also had an inside man on the other side... yes, so this is their internal planning... It was not planning for disrupting other people's operations... The mandate was rather there is so-and-so who is in the same business as Mr Iby”

Mr. Nku met with Iby and was asked to organize a bust to discredit a competitor's network.

“The mandate was look, there are people that are our network's competitor, I would love you to organize a bust, ... make sure that it is out there and that network is discredited”

Mr. Nku was introduced to John Wick prior to meeting Iby and knew John Wick beforehand.

“I knew John Wick before I knew Iby”

Mr. Nku was introduced to Iby in relation to a political and legal matter in Western Africa involving a high-ranking official, and received financial aid for himself and his associates.

“I got introduced to him relating to, I needed, my associates and I needed financial aid but it was mostly a political matter in Western Africa ... there was a legal matter pertaining to a high-ranking official there which I needed financial aid on. That is how we actually got introduced”

Mr. Nku assisted Iby with a delayed shipment of parts related to a flagged container, which underwent rigorous inspection and was eventually cleared through proper channels.

“The shipment had been delayed... container is flagged... undergoes rigorous inspection ... it seemed to be a paperwork issue ... let your clearing agent send all the relevant paperwork to Transnet ... I think that was cleared but it was handled between the clearing agent and the Transnet people”

Mr. Nku confirms he did work for Iby related to shipment issues but denies involvement with narcotics.

“Yes, yes, Commissioner ... I did do some work for him but it did not relate to narcotics”

VJ is an associate of Iby and not the same person as John Wick.

“VJ is not the same person as John Wick ... They are not the same person”

Communication between Mr. Nku and Iby was 99% through WhatsApp.

“99% of the time”

Mr. Nku denies screenshots mentioning Alpha were taken by him and affirms there was no reason to take screenshots communicating with Iby.

“There is probably one screenshot that would relate to me, because I never had to take screenshots communicating with him ... There was no reason”

VJ knows Chief Mashaba and has some form of association with him and Iby.

“VJ knows Chief Mashaba ... VJ and Iby have some sort of association which you have knowledge of”

Mr. Nku has a conversation on WhatsApp with Chief Mashaba and Iby about keys related to a matter on 25 and 29 June 2021, involving VJ and difficulties with keys.

“Conversation is the 25th of June 2021 ... and screenshot on your phone is 29 June 2021 ... mentioning keys ... that conversation is between you and Chief Mashaba and that conversation is the 25th June ... and ... you also have that conversation with Iby also on WhatsApp ... He is pleading to check with him ... he won't give me the keys or the phone ... he put up a big stink about General Mashaba ... and someone called up about the keys, not Mashaba, said he works with him ...”

Mr Nku confirmed there was a WhatsApp request from someone named Iby to Chief Mashaba to get keys related to a car that belonged to a person who was in hospital.

“there was a request ... on my WhatsApp's directly from Iby to request that Chief Mashaba get him the keys ... relating to a car which had office keys ... the person to whom those keys belonged was in hospital”

VJ is also involved with Chief Mashaba and doing operations associated with Iby.

“VJ is also involved with Chief Mashaba and doing operations with Chief Mashaba, associated with Iby”

Mr Nku admitted that VJ was associated with Iby.

“He was associated”

Chief Mashabatha and Warrant Officer Mogana went inside Yellow Jersey premises to follow up on the information and appeared to agree to open the container, witnessing black duffel bags fall out which matched previously sent pictures containing alleged drugs.

“Chief Mashaba and Warrant Officer Mogana went inside the premises of Yellow Jersey to follow up on the information I provided. Within a few minutes, the two came back and Mashaba told me to follow them... They seemed to have agreed to open the container. As soon as they opened the container, I witnessed black duffel bags falling off the container. These bags matched the pictures of the black duffel bags that were sent to me previously containing alleged drugs by Iby.”

On 6 July 2021, Mr Nku received text messages with photos from someone named Iby, indicating 805 bricks/blocks involved in a consignment.

“on the 6th of July 2021, you received this text with these photos from Iby. That is what that graphic seems to reflect.”

Mohammed Baba is described as a dealer-stalker with cheaper prices allowing him to buy cars at much less than the book value, and he lacked funds to buy the vehicle himself, leading to an arrangement involving Mr Iby to facilitate the purchase.

“Baba, initially he was to purchase the car for me. But then because he did not, he is a dealer-stalker, so he did not have the funds... we then agreed that we would approach Iby to make the purchase...”

The car was brand new, bought as a BMW, with payment and sale arrangements between Baba and Iby, and Mr Nku being the ultimate beneficiary but not the direct purchaser.

“It is a brand-new vehicle from what I understood... the sale agreement for this motor vehicle was between Baba and Iby... I was the ultimate beneficiary... payment arrangement was between the two of them.”

Mr Nku explains that Baba and Iby had a longer relationship than him with each other, so Baba acted as a common trusted party in the vehicle purchase transaction with Iby on behalf of Mr Nku.

“Chair, one of the reasons would have been as half, that is why I, the how parts were actually directed to the why part and that is because Mr Baba and Mr Iby had a much longer relationship than I do and Mr Baba had a much longer relationship as opposed to myself and Iby... Mr Baba becomes a common trusted source or trusted party between the two of us in terms of vouching that okay, even if this man does not come good on his promise, I will sort it out, because we have got a much longer history in terms of car sales between myself and Mr Baba.”