Zondo inquiry withholds names of crime intelligence agents and informants
Their identities will be protected as the inquiry hears ex-intelligence official Colonel Dhanajaya Naidoo's testimony.
Acting Chief Justice and chair of the state capture commission Raymond Zondo. Picture: Karen Sandison/African News Agency
The names of former and current crime intelligence agents and informants will be withheld and they will be referred to by number, for example, as FM1, FM2, etc, as the commission of inquiry into state capture on Friday hears testimony from an ex-intelligence official.
The testimony of former crime intelligence member Colonel Dhanajaya Naidoo – who is currently in witness protection – will be heard in-camera at a separate location when he testifies before the commission.
Members of the public, including the media, however, will be able to hear his testimony.
The evidence leader at the commission said the names of the agents, as well as informants, will be withheld as Naidoo gives his testimony to ensure that their identities are not compromised.
The chairperson of the commission, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo was, however, given the names of these agents and informants in a sealed envelop.
According to Naidoo’s statement, a good number of these former or current agents of crime intelligence were entered into the programme through nepotism.
Naidoo’s testimony is expected to deal with the allegations of the looting of the Secret Services Account (SSA) by himself and members of crime intelligence.
Ahead of giving his testimony, Naidoo told Zondo that on Wednesday he received word that the home of a close relative of his was broken into.
Naidoo said the break-in may have been a random act of criminality or a direct message to deter him from testifying at the commission.
He said he cannot rule out the likelihood of the latter being a possibility due to the fact that the break-in took place days before his testimony at the commission.
Naidoo requested that the commission escalate the investigations into the break-in to the Hawks to determine whether it is linked to him testifying a the commission.
Zondo instructed the commission’s legal team to contact the Hawks “so that they can look into the matter urgently”.
Watch the proceedings live courtesy of the SABC:
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
