Durban Hawks Unit Commander Jacob grilled over Port Shepstone drug theft

By Johnathan Paoli

Durban Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit head Colonel Gavin Jacob has come under fire after admitting that he had assumed that police stations near Durban Harbour, including Maydon Wharf, was incapable of holding the 541kg cocaine consignment that would end up at Port Shepstone.

Continuing proceedings at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Thursday, Jacob’s evidence came under scrutiny from commission chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga and evidence leader Advocate Mahlape Sello, who challenged his repeated assertions that no suitable storage facilities were available closer to the Durban harbour crime scene.

Madlanga accused Jacob of making assumptions instead of conducting basic inquiries with nearby police stations before deciding where the drugs should be stored.

“You assumed that there was no storage. You assumed, because you never asked. It’s as simple as all of that. Why did you make such an assumption on so serious a matter?” Madlanga asked.