Gauteng Hawks boss will not take part in live TV polygraph test

“After seeking legal opinion, the DPCI was advised that Major General Prince Mokotedi participation, will not serve any legal purpose but could unsettle the network of sources and informers that has been cultivated as part of the ongoing investigations,” spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

“Major General Mokotedi opened a case wherein certain senior public officials and organisations are implicated. He committed to participate in the public polygraph test to prove that he had no ill intentions as some of the implicated persons have suggested.”

On December 13, McBride challenged Mokotedi to do a polygraph test on live television to prove innocence after the latter levelled serious criminal charges against him.

“Here’s the thing. I would like to challenge the complainant in this matter, General Prince Mokotedi that him and I do a polygraph live on TV at the same time. We will pay for it,” McBride said at the time.

“No matter what you do, the truth cannot be changed by smoke and mirrors. This is a hairbrained scheme, similar to the fire pool story. We have no fear about this. It will collapse like the rendition matter. We are unafraid, we are unintimidated.”

The Ipid boss said the timing of the pressing of the charges was sinister.

On Tuesday, Mulaudzi said that the investigation had gained traction and that sworn statements had already been taken from witnesses.

“Accordingly, all the issues that the implicated persons wished to address through Major General Mokotedi participation in the polygraph test can be ventilated properly through the open courts of law,” Mulaudzi said.

“It will be in the interest of Justice that the implicated persons should be given a chance to respond to the allegations through the courts rather than through the media. We respect the public’s interest in the matter but equally hold that the law should take its course.”

Mulaudzi said that no further comments will be made on the matter.

On December 12, Mokotedi laid numerous charges — including high treason, corruption, defeating the ends of justice, tax evasion and espionage — against McBride, former Gauteng Hawks boss Shadrack Sibiya, private forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan and crime intelligence officer, Captain Candice Coetzee.

The four are accused of trying to oust President Jacob Zuma.

McBride said he was unmoved by the grave allegations levelled against him by Mokotedi and said that “even in instances where we thought his information was not correct, it was later found that he was correct”.

“The allegations made are based on a supposed set of information, hearsay of hearsay from a single source. The statement that has been made must be rejected completely that there is any illegal activity that Ipid investigators are involved in,” McBride said on December 13.

“I’m not aware of a situation where any illegal activity was discussed with me or my investigators, or with anybody else. Paul O’Sullivan is a complainant in a number of matters against members of the DPCI (Hawks) and the police. In terms of our experience with Paul O’Sullivan, his information is always right.”

McBride said there was nothing sinister with the Ipid officials’ meetings with O’Sullivan.