By Dylan Bettencourt
- Hawks Brigadier Lesiba Mokoena has been ordered back to the Madlanga Commission after lying under oath about a WhatsApp group tied to Molefe’s arrest.
- Confused officers, missing records and public clashes have turned the Molefe case into the Hawks’ worst embarrassment in years.
The Hawks are in deep trouble and this time they can’t hide behind silence. South Africa’s top crime-fighting unit is now facing public humiliation after weeks of messy testimony, missing records and open lies under oath.
At the centre of the storm is Brigadier Lesiba Mokoena, who has been ordered back to the witness stand after the Madlanga Commission found he lied about his role in a secret WhatsApp group used to plan businessman KT Molefe’s arrest in December 2024.
Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga made it clear there would be no excuses. “It’s not a maybe – we do want him to come back,” he said after Mokoena tried to avoid appearing, claiming he was still consulting his lawyers.
Evidence leader Advocate Lee Segeels-Ncube told the inquiry that messages from the group directly contradicted Mokoena’s earlier testimony. Captain Barry Kruger, who also took part in the operation, confirmed that Mokoena was active in the group chats that coordinated the raid.
Earlier testimony revealed even more confusion inside the Hawks. Brigadier Mbotho admitted he “had no idea whose house that was” during the raid. Other witnesses said there were no official records of the operation, while evidence leaders questioned how the team gained access to Molefe’s home without a valid warrant.
The chaos didn’t end there. Some senior officers claimed they were acting on instructions from “unidentified sources” within the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, but could not explain where those orders came from.
The commission has described the evidence as “deeply concerning,” saying it points to systemic failure and possible interference in sensitive investigations.
Pictured above: Brigadier Lesiba Mokoena.
Image source: @MashaRostovv
