McBride lays blame on police doorstep
Independent Police Investigative Directorate head Robert McBride has accused the police of deliberately frustrating the corruption probe into acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane. He said the police watchdog had evidence of wrongdoing.
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) head Robert McBride has accused the police of deliberately frustrating the corruption probe into acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane.
In an explosive briefing in Parliament on Wednesday, McBride said the police watchdog had obtained unchallenged evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the acting police commissioner including corruption and money laundering.
He also accused Police Minister Nathi Nhleko of “doing favours” for those who “do his bidding”.
The minister had recently approved the transfer of former acting head of Ipid Israel Kgamanyane to the Hawks.
Kgamanyane was recently appointed as a major-general at the Hawks, despite facing charges of fraud and corruption.
McBride, who was making his first appearance in Parliament following September’s Constitutional Court ruling that his suspension be declared invalid, said the recent arrest of private investigator Paul O’Sullivan was an intimidation tactic meant to obfuscate the corruption probe into Phahlane.
McBride led an Ipid team that briefed members of the police portfolio committee on some of the high-profile cases the directorate is currently working on, including the investigation into the acting police commissioner.
At the heart of the Ipid probe is Phahlane’s R8m home north of Pretoria.
Last month, Ipid officials searched Phahlane’s home for an R80‚000 sound system that was allegedly installed by a service provider who, it is claimed, has a contract with the police forensic science laboratory.
O’Sullivan, who is assisting Ipid with the probe and is also the complainant in the matter, was arrested on Monday on charges including impersonating an official from the directorate, intimidation and extortion. The High Court in Pretoria ordered that the independent forensic investigator be released on Monday night.