By: Bianca “BB” Binase
Sparks flew on the second day of national police commissioner Fannie Masemola’s
appearance before Parliament’s ad hoc committee on Friday (10 October) when Patriotic Alliance MP Ashley Sauls accused Masemola of lying when he falsely claimed that police had on two occasions found PA deputy president Kenny Kunene at the house of murder accused Katiso Molefe.
Earlier EFF leader Julius Malema asked Masemola if he was aware of the people who were present when police arrested Molefe at his home in Johannesburg. “I am aware there was a journalist but I don’t know who. But I know that they did find Mr Kenny Kunene at that house,” Masemola stated. Masemola was referring to a police raid in July when officers found Kunene at the house of Molefe during which Molefe was arrested for the murder of Oupa John Sefoka, widely known as DJ Sumbody, and his two bodyguards.
Masemola said that it was not the first time Kunene was at Molefe’s house and that police found Kunene and a journalist at the house, though he did not know who the journalist was.
Masemola said that it was the second time Kunene was found at Molefe’s house, the first time was during an undated visit by the police who found him at the gate and the second time police found him inside the house. When pressed by PA MP Ashley Sauls that he was lying, Masemola said he relied on a report he received from his team, However Sauls would have none of it, forcing Masemola to admit that he couldn’t state it as a fact that Kunene was found at Molefe’s house twice by police officers.
Asked for a comment, Kunene said he was shocked that the national police commissioner could lie under oath. “I have the utmost respect for police and the work they do, however it’s highly concerning when the most senior police officer goes to parliament and state as fact matters that he’s not sure about. I challenge general Masemola to bring evidence that proves that police twice found me at Mr Molefe’s house. Since he stated that he relied on a report, I also challenge him to make that report public and take action on whoever compiled
that false report.”
Kunene added: “I’m very happy that a Patriotic Alliance deployee in Parliament, honourable Ashley Sauls managed to get the national commissioner to concede that he was lying.”
