Court rules McBride suspension invalid
THE suspension of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) executive director, Robert McBride, was unconstitutional and invalid, and should be lifted, the Constitutional Court ruled.
The ruling also compels Police Minister Nathi Nhleko, who took a unilateral decision to suspend McBride, to pay all the costs involved in the matter.
McBride was suspended last year after allegations that he interfered with the findings of a report into alleged rendition of four Zimbabweans in 2010. He was also charged with defeating the ends of justice.
He successfully challenged the suspension last year, but in- ternal processes prevented him from carrying out his duties.
In court papers, McBride argued that the rules used to suspend him were inconstant with the independence of Ipid. On May 17, advocate Steven Budlender, for McBride, said he felt Parliament should have been given 30 days to make a decision and state what grounds the decision was made on.
In March McBride, Matthew Sesoko and Innocent Khuba appeared in the High Court in Pretoria facing charges of fraud and defeating the ends of justice after their investigation of Hawks boss Anwa Dramat in the rendition matter.
This morning, the Concourt ruled that the minister has 30 days to take the ruling to Parliament.