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By Palesa Matlala
- Major-General Feroz Khan says his phones and laptops contain details on political killings, undercover agents and active Crime Intelligence operations across South Africa.
- Khan received alerts on 12 May that someone tried to access his iCloud account after police seized his devices during a raid on his Houghton home.
A top spy is asking the High Court to force police to give back his phones and laptops, warning that the secrets inside could cost lives.
Major-General Feroz Khan, deputy head of Crime Intelligence, filed an urgent application in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg this week. He wants the court to order police to return the devices taken during a raid on his Houghton apartment earlier this month. The court is set to hear the application on Thursday.
Khan says the devices contain highly sensitive information on political killings, gang violence, undercover agents and active covert operations. He warns that if anyone accesses that data without authorisation, sources could be exposed and operations blown. He says some of the information cannot be copied or shared without causing permanent damage to national security.
He also argues that police had no valid warrant when they searched his home, making the search unlawful and unconstitutional.
What pushed him to court urgently was an alert on 12 May. Khan says he received notification that someone had tried to access his iCloud account after the devices were taken. He told the court that once sensitive data is copied, the damage cannot be undone.
Khan was arrested on 9 May by the Gauteng Counter-Intelligence Operations team, working alongside the Political Killings Task Team. He was taken in with Gauteng Hawks head Major-General Ebrahim Kadwa and businessman Tariq Downes. All three face charges of corruption and unlawful possession and dealing of gold. Khan and Kadwa also face a charge of defeating the ends of justice, linked to a 2021 incident at OR Tambo International Airport involving Downes. All three were granted bail.
Khan’s lawyers argue the devices must be returned before further harm is done.
Pictured above: Crime Intelligence deputy head Major-General Feroz Khan.
Image source: File
