Alleged Big 5 Finally revealed. Msibi, Mthethwa, Mthakathi, Motsumi & Molefe.
High-stakes official inquiries rarely break down over grand declarations.
They collapse in the space between quiet admissions, timed text messages, and late-night phone logs.
Before a sitting commission of inquiry, Godfrey Lebeya, head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, found himself pressed on every single gap in his account regarding a high-profile law enforcement action.
At the center of the exchange sat a series of electronic communications sent on 21 June 2022.
A text message dispatched at 17:48 from a known contact identified as Malcolm X reached the top investigator with an unusual phrasing of gratitude.
The message formally thanked Godfrey Lebeya for deploying personnel to verify whether armed individuals operating at a private residence were legitimate police officers.
It concluded with a explicit note: a figure named “King Nyambose” deeply appreciated all the general’s efforts.
The inquiry focused immediately on the exact wording of that transmission.
Commission leaders pointed out that the message expressed regret that the officers sent by Godfrey Lebeya were not permitted entry into the yard or the residence itself.
Questioning established that the general’s sole instruction to his senior officers was to verify credentials, not to secure access to the interior of the property.
Yet the text implied a deeper expectation of intervention on behalf of those inside.
Evidence presented to the panel placed the event within a broader timeline of suspects and associates.
A photographic record dated 21 June 2022 captured multiple key figures together, including Katiso Malefane, an individual who was later taken into custody during a separate tactical operation on 6 December 2024.
Standing alongside Katiso Malefane in the visual record were individuals identified as Mr. Ncube, Mr. Thetho, Mr. Mutakati, and Mr. Motsumi.
Panel members pushed Godfrey Lebeya to explain why a message carrying gratitude from an unfamiliar alias did not prompt an immediate demand for clarification.
The commissioner noted that receiving an explicit thank-you from “King Nyambose” via Malcolm X strongly created the impression of prior coordination.
Under direct questioning, Godfrey Lebeya acknowledged that, on its face, the text created precisely that visual and logical impression.
He maintained, however, that he did not know who “King Nyambose” was, had never met the individual, and had no operational connection to him.
The panel pressed further into the timeline of that evening.
At 18:40, official intelligence updates forwarded to Godfrey Lebeya confirmed that the units on site were conducting a legitimate operation executing J50 arrest warrants.
The nature of the deployment was fully accounted for within official police channels by early evening.
Despite that confirmation, phone records revealed a secondary interaction later that night.
At 21:52, nearly 10:00 PM, Godfrey Lebeya accepted a incoming voice call from Malcolm X that lasted three full minutes.
Commission members challenged the necessity of a three-minute call late at night after the scene had already been confirmed as a legitimate law enforcement action.
When asked why he did not use that call to interrogate Malcolm X or demand to know why his office had been drawn into the matter, Godfrey Lebeya stated he could not recall the exact wording of the conversation.
He maintained his belief that the interaction was merely ongoing feedback regarding the earlier deployment.
The panel highlighted the contrast between the general’s extensive experience as a veteran detective and his complete lack of skepticism following the event.
Commissioners observed that even after learning of subsequent arrests, serious criminal charges surrounding Katiso Malefane, and public allegations involving Malcolm X, Godfrey Lebeya took no steps to summon Malcolm X for formal questioning.
In response, Godfrey Lebeya stated that his initial intervention was strictly based on reports of unidentified, masked individuals carrying firearms with minimal identification.
He argued that verifying such reports was a standard operational duty and that the post-hoc context revealed by the commission was not available to him at the time.
He added that launching an immediate interrogation after formal arrests were executed could have been interpreted by outside observers as an attempt to cover up details.
The inquiry noted that the explanations provided failed to clarify why an experienced head of crime investigation allowed an external contact to frame official police verification as a personal favor.
The panel concluded its line of questioning on the matter, leaving the documented timestamps, incoming logs, and unaddressed messages as part of the official record.
Copyright: Daily Updates ZA
