Advocate Ramkalawan

On 19 July 2021, Colonel Jacob sent an email to Advocate Govender of the DPP's office regarding assistance in the matter; Advocate Ramkalawan was assigned and advised that statements should not be obtained at that stage from mentioned entities.

“On 19 July 2021, I sent an email to Advocate Govender of the DPP's office with regards to assistance in this matter. Advocate Ramkalawan was assigned to the matter. I discussed the matter with her, and she indicated that statements should not be obtained at this stage from any of the entities mentioned above.”

Advocate Ramkalawan advised that at the early stage of the investigation, the listed entities including the transporter, clearing, and forwarding agents should be viewed as suspects and statements should not be obtained prematurely.

“At that stage, according to her or the DPP's office, we should view them as suspects until we can with certainty say that they are not. So at that stage, she thought it was premature to obtain statements from these entities.”

On 4 November 2021, Colonel Jacob called Advocate Ramkalawan to enquire about the status of the matter and was informed that Advocate Govender was to sign off on further investigations and queries.

“On the 4th of November 2021, I called Advocate Ramkalawan, enquiring about the status of the matter. She indicated that her supervisor, Advocate Govender, was to sign off on further investigations/queries and get back to me.”

At the stage of this enquiry, Colonel Jacob was the investigating officer and Advocate Ramkalawan was the prosecutor assigned to the DPP office.

“I was the investigating officer. Advocate Ramkalawan was a prosecutor assigned to the DPP's office.”