Explosive Ipid, SAPS claims shock for MPs

Committee calls on minister to intervene in saga after McBride, Phahlane square off

THE head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate and the acting national police commissioner aired their dirty laundry in parliament, making claims that included death threats and attempts to “capture” the police watchdog body.

Ipid executive director Robert McBride and the SAPS’s Khomotso Phahlane shocked MPs as they made serious allegations against each other during a tense meeting of parliament’s portfolio committee on police.

The two were summoned by the committee following claims that Phahlane had been interfering in Ipid’s investigation into his alleged corrupt dealings with SAPS service providers.

The committee has now called on Police Minister Fikile Mbalula to intervene in the saga.

The complaint had been laid with Ipid by police union Popcru and private investigator Paul O’Sullivan.

Ipid’s chief director of investigations Matthews Sesoko detailed how investigators on Phahlane’s case received death threats in text messages from numbers that could be linked to SAPS members.

Sesoko also detailed how Phahlane had asked witnesses not to cooperate with the investigation and how he had “unlawfully” gained access to a list of witnesses in his case – pointing to possible intimidation of witnesses.

He also said an SAPS unit from the North West, headed by Major-General Ntebo “Jan” Mabula, had specifically been brought in to actively counter the investigation.

McBride said he and several other Ipid members linked to the case were now all being actively investigated by the police.

But Phahlane said he would comply with any “competent authority” conducting an investigation, but insisted Ipid was far from independent.

“It should be renamed Opid – for O’Sullivan’s Police Investigative Directorate,” he said.

Phahlane told MPs his private bank statements, plans to his house and other evidence relating to the case had been shared with O’Sullivan, claiming Ipid had been captured.

The committee was shown e-mails in which O’Sullivan threatened him, and an exchange of text messages between O’Sullivan and McBride dating back several years.

In one e-mail, O’Sullivan warns Phahlane that he “will be all over you like a badly fitted suit” if he did not go after Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir.

In another, he claims he will go after Phahlane’s wife after he has dealt with him.

Phahlane defended the use of the North West unit, saying it had been brought in to assist after a threat analysis revealed a real threat against him.

He said he had been lucky to survive an attack in a Johannesburg spa late last year.

McBride, however, said that as the complainant, O’Sullivan had assisted with their investigation but his role had been limited. Out of the 67 witness statements taken in the case, O’Sullivan had been present for, or assisted with, six.

McBride also indicated that Phahlane should be placed on suspension to allow Ipid to conclude its investigation.

MPs expressed concern at what they had witnessed. ANC MP Leonard Ramatlakane said “this has to be stopped” while DA MP Marius Redelinghuys said the meeting was absurd.

Francois Beukman, an ANC MP who is the committee chairman, called on both sides to adhere to the law. “There shouldn’t be interference.”