decision22 June 2021E000141
Decision to store 541kg cocaine at Port Shepstone
After seizure, Maj-Gen Senona decided to store the 541kg of cocaine at the DPCI Port Shepstone offices due to lack of storage capacity at Isipingo and FSL Amanzimtoti. He personally took possession of the safe keys, contrary to standard procedure requiring the SAP13 clerk to hold them.
Described by 5 witnesses
Maj-Gen Senonaday 47, day 171Maj-Gen Hendrik Frans Flynnday 101Lieutenant Colonel Kwazikwakhe Goodenough (Kday 114Brigadier Campbell Nyuswaday 120Mr Teboho Mosikiliday 171
Each of these people gave first-hand evidence about this event. Several accounts of the same event is a property of the record — it is not verification, and witnesses can be mistaken together.
27 claims from testimony
"I agreed that the exhibits to be stored at the Port Shepstone offices"
"after consulting Maj -Gen Senona Provincial Head of DPCI KZN"
"General Senona took possession of the keys to the strong room after the exhibits were stored."
"if General Senona had proper control over the key, he was supposed to open that safe"
"Yes, the key, Mpangase handed them over to General Senona."
"Yes."
"General Senona takes the spare key and the original key"
"I do not know if that name was among the individuals that were investigated"
"Brigadier Nyuswa advised him that the Port Shepstone DPCI offices has a storeroom, a strong room that he thought would be suitable"
"he agreed with Brigadier Nyuswa's recommendation"
"Due to the above, I agreed for the exhibits to be stored at the Port Shepstone offices."
"like DPCI, Port Shepstone, Organised Crime offices in Port Shepstone is a unit"
"arrangements were made to house these exhibits at the Port Shepstone office"
"All Durban DPCI and Tracking Team members involved in the day of the operation and the following day had knowledge of the exhibits being stored at the Port Shepstone office."
"All Durban DPCI and Tracking Team members involved in the day of the operation and the following day had knowledge of the exhibits being stored at the Port Shepstone office."
"you would not have known that General Senona was in possession of the safe, the keys to the safe"
"Correct, Commissioners."
"Provincial Head offices would be General Senona's offices"
"That is correct, Chair."
"it is not clear what motivated the provincial management to consider the Port Shepstone as a safe place to store drugs of such high value"
"General Senona, based on his own version in his factual report, was the custodian of the keys to the strong room"
"Correct, Commissioners."
"I have not subjected him to polygraph test"
"at the time, I was considering him to be the complainant"
"He would be the complainant in the criminal investigation."
"somebody who is in possession of the keys to the strong room"
"He knew the layout"