Johannesburg - Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza is considering suing a police officer who opened a case against him of defeating the ends of justice.
The case was for allegedly ignoring charges against a police officer who was misusing a state vehicle while Ntlemeza was the Limpopo provincial commissioner.
Last year Lieutenant Boitumelo Ramahlaha opened a case of defeating the ends of justice against Ntlemeza. He said Ntlemeza had ignored charges against Thomas Rallele because he was romantically involved with his (Ntlemeza’s) daughter.
However, the National Prosecuting Authority declined to prosecute Rallele, saying there was insufficient evidence.
In a document penned on June 7, 2016 by the NPA’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Ivy Thenga, she said there was no sufficient evidence against Rallele. Thenga added that Rallele’s supervisor had submitted a statement indicating that during that period it was alleged he used the vehicle without necessary authority between August 30, 2011 and October 25, 2011 when Rallele would have been on duty.
Thenga wrote: “She mentioned that she cannot specifically recall what he would have been doing on the particular days because this happened a long time ago. It is worth noting that a docket was opened only in 2015.”
She added that the complaint that Ntlemeza failed to take action after the report was made to him about alleged misuse of the vehicle by Rallele would be an internal matter for the police to deal with.
“It is, therefore, my view that further investigations in this matter will not take the matter further.”
Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said Ntlemeza felt vindicated, but he was considering legal action against Ramahlaha for tarnishing his image and reputation. He said Ntlemeza was still consulting his lawyers.
He said Ntlemeza “feels that all these allegations labelled against him compromised the integrity of DPCI and SAPS as a whole”.
Ntlemeza had on many occasions said that if there was any wrongdoing on his part he was more than willing to be investigated.
A senior prosecutor said: “Once the DPP declines to prosecute, that’s the end of the matter.”
Ntlemeza was appointed by Police Minister Nathi Nhleko last year after Hawks head Anwa Dramat resigned.
The Star