Masemola under fire for testimony claiming Kenny Kunene visited murder suspect twice

Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola faced accusations regarding his testimony that Patriotic Alliance deputy leader Kenny Kunene was present at the residence of Katiso “KT” Molefe when police made their arrest.

Patriotic Alliance MP Ashley Sauls made the accusation at the parliamentary inquiry probing allegations of corruption in the criminal justice system on Friday.

Kunene has publicly claimed that that he was accompanying a journalist to interview Molefe at the time of the arrest, which is linked to the murder of musician Oupa Sefoka, popularly known as DJ Sumbody.

After resigning as a City of Johannesburg councillor to allow his party investigation, Kunene was cleared and reinstated in September.

During the proceedings, EFF leader Julius Malema enquired whether there were other people or any journalist in the house when Molefe was arrested.

During his testimony, Masemola acknowledged being aware of a journalist's presence, though he stated he did not know the journalist's identity.

“But I am aware they did find Mr Kunene at the house and a journalist. I know they did find Mr Kunene. Actually it was not the first time. Even when they went for the second time they found him there,” he said, adding that the first time Kunene back turned at the gate while police were busy with their work.

Sauls asked if Masemola was 100% sure that Kunene was found at Molefe’s house twice.

Masemola said the team had reported that he was there twice.

“One of the times he was in the house. The other time he turned at the gate. They denied him entry. That is the report I got,” he said.

Sauls challenged him about how he could state as a fact that Kunene was there twice, but Masemola insisted that he believed his team to which Sauls charged what the team told him was hearsay.

“Your team is immune to lie,” he said.

After asking chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee, Soviet Lekganyane, to protect him from the EFF, Sauls said Masemola’s testimony “is based on a report, its not fact”.

This prompted DA MP Ian Cameron stating that Sauls questioning has got nothing to do with the scope of the inquiry.

“I think we are losing the plot. This is not part of the scope of the Ad Hoc Committee,” Cameron said.

Lekganyane allowed Sauls to use his time, but he came under criticism from MK MP Sibonelo Nomvalo for guiding the meeting and protecting the witness.

“We can’t be subjected to Kenny Kunene. We have serious issues of national importance. The whole country is watching us and the member is subjecting us to Kenny Kunene,” said Nomvalo arguing “people can’t abuse the platform on the basis they have time”.

Sauls still contended that Masemola was not at Molefe’s house twice and claimed that he wanted the country to believe the police team did not have a possibility of lying.

Masemola insisted that the team told him Kunene was there twice.

“Whether they lie or not, I took that which they told me,” he said before pointing out that both of them were not there.

“However, the report I got, he was there twice. I will leave it there,” said Masemola.

In response, Sauls said it was an allegation that remained to be proven that Kunene was there twice.

“That means the General lied to the nation. You state that as a matter of fact. We can prove that Kenny Kunene was not there twice. You lied to the nation and it concerns me because whether to believe the rest of your testimony at all,” he said.

Sauls also said the matter was a bit personal to him.

“I want the nation to know that my leaders served the time in jail. They paid the price and they worked daily to repay society,” he added.

Sauls said Kunene had stepped down and subjected himself to an investigation, and declared his pride in the actions Kunene and party leader Gayton McKenzie.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za