Gumede corruption trial hears from investigator
An assessor from the investigating unit at eThekwini Municipality has explained to the Durban High Court what led to the decision to outsource the probe into the Durban Solid Waste tender.
Twenty-two people, including former mayor Zandile Gumede, are on trial for alleged fraud and corruption.
Shawn Hittler from the City Integrity and Investigations Unit was the second witness to be called by the State.
He’s been taking the court through the process of assessing and registering a complaint after documents containing fraud allegations were anonymously dropped off at their office.
READ: Gumede corruption trial ‘premeditated scheme’ court hears
The court heard under normal procedure the matter to be assigned to an internal investigator.
Hittler testified that there was a meeting between him, the deputy head of the unit and an internal investigator who had previously probed one of the companies implicated in the documents.
He said the employee revealed to them that she had been threatened during the previous investigation.
The court heard it was then that the unit decided to rope in an external forensic company.
