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'cops at airport without permit'

IN THe DOG BOX: Inspector Victor Mpho Jwili is one of the three accused facing charges in the Johannesburg high court of fraud, racketeering, drug dealing, theft and defeating the ends of justice. Pic: BAFANA MAHLANGU. 12/04/2010. © Sowetan. 20100412 One of the three accused Inspector Victor Mpho Jwili The men are currently facing charges of racketeering, drug dealing, fraud, theft and defeating the course of justice in the South Gauteng High Court.. PHOTO: BAFANA MAHLANGU
IN THe DOG BOX: Inspector Victor Mpho Jwili is one of the three accused facing charges in the Johannesburg high court of fraud, racketeering, drug dealing, theft and defeating the ends of justice. Pic: BAFANA MAHLANGU. 12/04/2010. © Sowetan. 20100412 One of the three accused Inspector Victor Mpho Jwili The men are currently facing charges of racketeering, drug dealing, fraud, theft and defeating the course of justice in the South Gauteng High Court.. PHOTO: BAFANA MAHLANGU

THREE senior police officers accused of drug smuggling entered a restricted area at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport without permission to be there.

THREE senior police officers accused of drug smuggling entered a restricted area at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport without permission to be there.

Captain Douglas Sokhela was yesterday testifying in the Johannesburg high court in the trial of three West Rand organised crime unit police officers. The accused are unit head Senior Superintendent Dumisani Jwara, Captain Landro Mokgosani and Inspector Victor Jwili.

Sokhela told the court he was in the SA Cargo section in October 2007 after receiving information that a consignment of drugs from Brazil would arrive at the airport. He was attached to the crime intelligence unit at the airport.

"My unit was running an operation at the airport. Captain Gounden gave me the information about the consignment. Some unit members and I proceeded to the section. We found many people there, among them employees of SA Cargo," he said.

The accused face charges of dealing in drugs, theft, defeating the ends of justice and fraud. They are all out on bail. A fourth accused Captain Caiphus Shange died in jail last year.

Sokhela told the court that he got the incident's date from a Sowetan story and did not expect to be made a state witness.

"I made the statement but did not wish to. I was ordered to," he said.

He said the unit's duty was to "monitor and see to it that the correct procedure was followed".

"When I received the information, I called Inspector Moerane, a senior member in our unit.

"As I briefed him, a man I did not know approached. Moerane referred to him as London. He said London was from the Roodepoort organised crime unit," he said.

Sokhela said Acsa issued an airport permit to allow people to gain entry to the cargo section.

"Visitors must get a visitor's permit. Everyone has to have a permit in order to gain entry to the section," he added.

Sokhela said two other men then approached them. One of the men said he was a captain from the same unit as London.

Defence attorney Nardus Grove said his clients would tell the court that they had an "inquiry open".

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