Madlanga commission told of ‘errors’ in Hawks polygraph probe into R200m cocaine theft

The Madlanga commission of inquiry heard on Monday that a report on polygraph tests conducted by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) after cocaine worth R200m was stolen from police offices in KwaZulu-Natal contained contradictory findings, The commission was hearing the testimony of Hawks warrant officer Karl Sander, who worked in the KZN narcotics unit for decades but was moved from the unit by KZN provincial head Maj-Gen Lesetja Senona in February 2024 for allegedly “stepping on [the] toes” of drug syndicates. This week the commission of inquiry into allegations of criminal infiltration of law enforcement agencies is focusing on the brazen robbery of R200m worth of cocaine from the Hawks offices in Port Shepstone in November 2021. Sander told the commission he was moved from the narcotics unit after making several major busts in the Durban harbour of drugs mainly coming from Sao Paulo, South America.

He was moved from his area of expertise to supply management after Senona allegedly received a complaint that Sander was supplying drugs to clubs operating in Florida Road, Durban. Sander denied the allegation and said he was informed that the corruption inquiry against him was closed within four days after it had been opened. “I must have been stepping on their toes,” said Sander when asked why he thought he was moved from the drug unit.

“I was interfering with their supply chain. For it to work correctly you need a corrupt policeman.” He told the commission that prior to being moved he had filed a complaint about missing exhibits and dockets. “I do not think management took a liking to that,” he said.

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Sander was among officers who underwent a polygraph test during a Hawks internal investigation of the robbery under the suspicion it was an inside job. Two reports of the polygraph test obtained by the Madlanga commission showed contradictory findings. One detected deception from Sander but another report on the same robbery shows that no opinion was recorded on Sander following an examiner error.

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