Witness P asks Madlanga Commission to hear drug gang operation testimony behind closed doors
Witness P seeks closed-door testimony in the Madlanga Commission to safeguard informants and sensitive intelligence from exposure during the investigation into a drug gang.
The SAPS officer, identified as Witness P, has requested that the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry hear his testimony in camera due to concerns about the safety of informants, his own security, and the potential exposure of sensitive counter-intelligence methods. The commission is scheduled to hear the officer's testimony on Friday, which pertains to a covert operation targeting a drug gang in Durban.
The officer's evidence will consist of telephone-intercept transcripts, intelligence reports, and other documents generated during the operation. The witness argues that making his evidence public could endanger the ongoing protection of sensitive intelligence, as it could expose the identities of informants and compromise the utility of the intelligence gathered.
The officer also expressed concerns about his own safety and the possibility that public testimony could alter the behavior of those under investigation. The witness's request for an in-camera hearing is still pending a ruling by the commission.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
