National Police Commissioner, General Khehla Sitole.
Photograph: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency/ANA
IPID opens criminal case against police commissioner Sitole
IPID lodged a criminal case against General Khehla Sitole over his alleged refusal to cooperate with the investigation into the murder of Anti-Gang Unit detective Charl Kinnear.
National Police Commissioner, General Khehla Sitole.
Photograph: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency/ANA
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has lodged a criminal complaint against South Africa’s top cop Commissioner General Khehla Sitole over his alleged refusal to cooperate with the investigation into the murder of Charl Kinnear, the Anti-Gang Unit detective that was killed outside his home in September 2020.
IPID OPENS CASE AGAINST POLICE COMMISSIONER
IPID head Jennifer Ntlatseng wrote to Minister of Police Bheki Cele on 26 January to inform him of Sitole’s refusal to cooperate with the investigation. The letter was leaked to the media.
IPID confirmed the leak on Thursday but would not comment on the content of the letter.
“IPID would like to confirm that indeed yesterday… the Executive Director of IPID Ms Jennifer Ntlatseng has released an info note with her signature for the Minister of Police’s attention,” said Directorate spokesperson Grace Langa.
“The letter was delivered yesterday. It is unfortunate that this info note was leaked to the public and was not released formally by IPID.”
The Directorate wants Sitole to explain the role he played in certain investigations. Ntlatseng said, in the letter to Cele, that the Police Commissioner’s input is vital to the investigation but he has not responded despite numerous attempts to reach him via letters, telephone calls and electronic correspondence.
The letter revealed that a criminal complaint was laid against Sitole at the Pretoria Central Police Station in December 2021.
According to Daily Maverick, IPID completed its investigation, in November 2021, into the circumstances that led to the murder of Kinnear outside his home.
Kinnear was working on approximately 20 cases that involved corrupt police officers and the leaders of the organised crime world.
In 2018, he sent a 59-page memorandum to his superior officers, including Sitole, that detailed the threats against his life.
According to Daily Maverick, the IPID investigation found that the evidence Kinnear gave – about the danger he was in and the cases he was working – to the police higherups was largely ignored.
IPID also found that the Hawks were aware that Kinnear was being watched prior to his murder but failed to act.
