De Kok admits to becoming accessory after altering bullet ballistics

Former apartheid police commander Eugene de Kok giving evidence at the Cradock 4 inquest at the Gqeberha High Court in the Eastern Cape on March 23, 2026.

Former Vlakplaas commander Eugene de Kok will be back in the Gqeberha High Court, Eastern Cape, on Tuesday where he will continue his testimony at the Cradock Four inquest.

On Monday, De Kok denied any involvement in the deaths of Fort Calata, Matthew Goniwe, Sparrow Mkhonto, and Sicelo Mhlauli.

He is the first person of interest on the witness stand for the sitting of the third inquest into the killing of the Cradock Four.

De Kok testified about the work he did at Vlakplaas and orders he got from other persons of interests like Major General Izak “Krappies” Engelbrecht to bomb, kill and imprison those deemed to be terrorist by the apartheid government.

He told the court that he became an accessory after the fact, when he was asked to change the ballistics of the bullets that killed the anti-apartheid activists.

De Kok says, “He didn’t give much detail, he wanted to give detail if I can get a firearm. Well, firstly, if we could interfere with the ballistics, I said, I don’t have a contact a possibility of another firearm. I said, no. I couldn’t get another fire arm.”

DE KOK’S OPENNESS

The families of the Cradock Four say they appreciate De Kok’s openness about the some of the operations of the apartheid government.

The son of one of the Cradock Four Lukhanyo Calata says, “We are delighted firstly that Mr De Kok could come and give testimony before this inquest.”

“We feel that his testimony would allow the court to be able to get behind the apartheid machinery and how it worked, and hopefully it will help the court understand the machinations and be able to give us a much fuller, clearer picture of just exactly what would have been the case in terms of the conspiracy, the planning and ultimately the execution in the killers of the Cradock One.”

Calata adds, “So I went to him first to go and introduce myself, and also to thank him for having come and being so open and honest with this court.”