Allegations that Crime Intelligence boss Major-General Philani Lushaba lied about how he lost his state firearm and laptop have surfaced.
ALLEGATIONS that Crime Intelligence boss Major-General Philani Lushaba lied about how he lost his state firearm and laptop have surfaced.
According to a report by News24, Lushaba told police that he was the victim of a house robbery on August 5 and he opened a case of theft at a police station in Tshwane.
However, claims that a sex worker who he brought to his house while his wife had been away on business had, in fact, robbed him were revealed by News24.
News24 further reported that while Bheki Cele’s office said he was aware of the matter, there was no mention whether Lushaba would face perjury and defeating the ends of justice charges.
According to News24, Lushaba allegedly told police that he left his house on the evening of August 5 and when he returned he went to bed. He claimed his house was in order, but when he woke up, his cellphone and laptop worth R75,000 were missing.
News24 said there was no mention of the firearm being stolen.
They further reported that it is alleged that a woman, believed to be a sex worker, robbed him in the early hours of the morning.
The Independent Policing Union of South Africa (Ipusa) has called on national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola to suspend Lushaba.
News24 further reported that CI officers managed to trace the laptop and firearm, and that’s when the circumstances regarding its disappearance was uncovered.
A source told News24 that because Lushaba was a senior official, nothing was being done, and that if it were someone else, they would have been fired.
News24 said police did not respond to several questions regarding charges against Lushaba.
Police confirmed that the theft case opened by Lushaba was being investigated.
Ipusa said it would not rest and demanded Masemola take disciplinary steps against Lushaba.
