By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
National Police Commissioner, General Khehla Sitole, has denied allegations that he has not cooperated with an IPID investigation into the murder of Western Cape detective, Lt Col Charl Kinnear.
On Thursday, in a statement, Sitole said, on the contrary, he had referred an investigation associated with the murder of Kinnear to IPID for their investigation.
“The National Commissioner is therefore perturbed by allegations that a criminal case has been opened against him for having ‘failed to cooperate with the investigation’ which he had initiated as a ‘complainant,” said Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo, national SAPS spokesperson.
He said the National Commissioner and his office had at all material times cooperated with the IPID investigation and implemented the recommendations made by IPID arising from the outcome of the investigation.
“The National Commissioner has not been appraised of the nature and extent of the allegations imputing his lack of cooperation with IPID and will in due course after he would have been provided with the complaint from IPID, if any, respond to same fully,” he said.
The Western Cape Anti-Gang Unit commander was assassinated in September 2020. Police had since arrested four suspects.
Kinnear was a senior AGU detective based in Cape Town and specialised in murders and cases involving illegally obtained or illegally used firearms, as well as crimes linked to gangs.
In the aftermath of his death, it became clear that some of his colleagues had known that he was in grave danger.
Police Minister Bheki Cele’s office has confirmed receiving a letter notifying them of a criminal complaint against Sitole, for allegedly refusing to cooperate with the IPID probe into the Kinnear’s murder.
Sitole is no stranger to controversy, in January 2021, the North Gauteng High Court ruled that Sihole and his deputies, Francinah Vuma and Lebeoana Tsumani, had placed the interests of the ruling party, the ANC, ahead of those of the country.
Sitole is still in office despite numerous threats by President Cyril Ramaphosa to institute an inquiry into Sitole’s fitness to hold office.