Cape Town – The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) could yesterday not confirm whether a case against six alleged rogue crime intelligence officers was still under investigation.
This comes after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) earlier this year declined to prosecute a complaint which the police watchdog had found to be legitimate.
The complaint, which called for an “urgent investigation”, was made by slain top cop Charl Kinnear in which “serious allegations” were made against the six officers alleged to be linked to high-flying gangsters.
Following a number of follow-up enquiries to Ipid, spokesperson Ndileka Cola could not confirm whether the investigation was ongoing or whether the matter would be sent back to the DPP to review.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the DPP made the decision not to prosecute on April 21, following a meeting with Kinnear.
“Recently the NPA received several media queries relating to criminal complaints filed by the late Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear which Ipid presented to the NPA for consideration.
’’The NPA can confirm that it received four dockets from Ipid and considered the merits of each.
“Prior to reaching a final decision in each of the matters, a consultation was held with the complainant in person, who accepted the likely decision to decline to prosecute.
“On May 5, 2020, we formally communicated to Ipid the decision to decline to prosecute in respect of all four dockets.
“The NPA declined to prosecute since there were no reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution,” Ntabazalila said.
Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi said they were in the process of identifying more suspects in Kinnear’s murder, but would not divulge details. “No further arrests have been made; we are working on identification of the other perpetrators.
“It is our stance that we do not engage in details of matters which are still under investigation in the public space.
’’Such discussions might hamper the potential evidence that we are gathering and weaken what has been made thus far,” said Mulaudzi.
Surveillance footage showing a man opening fire at Kinnear in his car outside his home in Bishop Lavis is believed to be part of evidence gathered. According to reports Kinnear was allegedly investigating a gun racketeering case at the police head office in Pretoria, which involved high-ranking officers, before he was killed.
Kinnear was also the investigating officer in the extortion case against Nafiz Modack, Colin Booysen, Ashley Fields, Jacques Cronje and Carl Lakay.
Zane Kilian, 39, a former rugby player, has been arrested in connection with the murder and made his first court appearance at the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Kilian, who is a debt collector and also owns a tracking and investigations company, was allegedly tracking Kinnear’s cellphone for months.
He faces charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and illegal interception of communication.
Cape Times