Ipid statistics manipulated, says McBride
FORMER head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) Robert McBride has detailed how statistics were manipulated in a bid to present improved performance while key cases were closed.
McBride returned to the stand at the Zondo Commission into state capture yesterday, where he is the first witness as the commission shifts its focus to law enforcement agencies.
McBride said following his controversial dismissal in 2015, police minister Nathi Nhleko and his acting successor Israel Kgamanyane had requested several cases be closed.
“The manipulation of statistics and the closing of cases under a provision called ‘special closure’ is what was utilised to come to that conclusion.”
McBride said the practice was widespread across provinces and that an instruction had been given for the manipulation, which he tried to change when he came back.
“There were a number of cases on special closure.
“In fact (through) that loophole in definition, we were forced the following financial year to change the definition of what a completed case was and how it was handled.”
He said a criminal case was opened and disciplinary action taken, which resulted in one person being dismissed and another senior person, who was responsible, resigning.
McBride explained the review of the report, which recommended the prosecution of then-Hawks head Anwa Dramat and his Gauteng head Shadrack Sibiya for allegedly taking part in a rendition saga when he took over the police directorate in 2014.
The saga involved the 2010 illegal repatriation of five Zimbabweans who were being sought by that country’s
police in connection with the murder of a senior officer.
Yesterday, McBride said the first report he found was a preliminary and it was riddled with shortcomings and outstanding information that needed to be included, including cellphone records to towers.
“If you put a sequence of events together, there was a determination to find guilt or to find scapegoats, so that you can deal with your original aspect of getting rid of Dramat.
“All statements, including the dodgy statements, that could not be substantiated were included in the docket.”
Paul Pretorius, head of the commission’s legal team, asked McBride what he would say it were put to him that the deletion of the information from the previous report was a deliberate, calculated move to mislead the recipients of the report.
“Whoever invented that clearly understands the processes that are involved in this situation, and it appears that that misunderstanding permeated the entire process downstream (and) eventually led to us getting suspended and criminally charged.”
The commission also heard how former Limpopo Ipid head Innocent Khuba – who compiled both the reports – was asked to falsely accuse McBride in exchange for his job back, which he did not do.
Khuba, like McBride, was fired together with Ipid head of investigations, Matthews Sesoko, following the reports, but never got his job back.