Suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya has denied allegations of rape, child grooming, and human trafficking. He presented his version of events during his bail application at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. Sibiya faces five charges, including rape, trafficking in persons, promoting the sexual grooming of a child, and two counts of sexually grooming a child.
According to Sibiya, the 16-year-old girl's father, whom he described as an associate, had invited him to a braai at the family’s home. The father asked Sibiya to collect the teenager from Centurion and gave him her cellphone number for that purpose. Sibiya claimed the father later visited him and said he had received an intimate video involving his daughter from an undisclosed source.
Sibiya disputes the child-grooming allegations, stating that the teenager’s father had sent him the intimate video and told him that his daughter had a crush on the senior police officer. Sibiya said he was uncomfortable with the situation and questioned why the father had shared such sensitive material. He admitted subsequently contacting the teenager and forwarding the video to her.
The State alleges that Sibiya raped an 18-year-old woman at a Sandton hotel on May 16 after she was given alcohol and became unconscious. He is also accused of trafficking three people for sexual exploitation. Sibiya denied the allegations and acknowledged meeting the 18-year-old complainant and other individuals on two consecutive nights at the Garden Court Hotel.
Sibiya claimed the teenager’s father invited him to the hotel and that the complainants had arrived independently. He said the group later went to a restaurant for dinner using two vehicles. Sibiya denied recruiting, transporting, deceiving, or sexually exploiting anyone. He argued that the allegations are devoid of any substance and truth.
Sibiya also challenged the authority of the Madlanga Commission Recommendations Task Team, which arrested him after investigating matters arising from the commission. He argued that the task team had acted outside its legal powers and that his arrest was based on a defective warrant. Sibiya offered bail of R20,000 and argued that his release would not cause public outrage.
The bail application is expected to resume on Thursday, with the State requesting a postponement to study the papers and prepare to cross-examine defence advocate Rashad Moosa. Sibiya remains in custody at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre, and the allegations against him have not yet been tested at trial.
Key points
- Sibiya denies all allegations, describing the case against him as a “well-orchestrated” attempt to have him imprisoned.
- The bail hearing has been postponed until Thursday.
- Sibiya faces five charges, including rape, trafficking in persons, and child grooming.
