Cape Town – A complaint against six Western Cape police officers alleged to have shady relationships with high-flying gangsters and controversial underworld figures has been found to be legitimate.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has now referred the matter to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for a decision to prosecute.
Ipid had investigated the complaint by Colonel Charl Kinnear, the investigating officer of an extortion case against Nafiz Modack, Colin Booysen, Ashley Fields, Jacques Cronje and Carl Lakay.
Kinnear had requested Ipid to urgently investigate alleged crimes by six members of the provincial crime intelligence unit, namely a Brigadier Hansraj, Captain Barker, Captain Britz, Warrant Officer Titus, Warrant Officer Riedwaan Ritus and Sergeant Burrows.
The complaint alleged serious offences including extortion, defeating the ends of justice and systemic corruption.
Ipid spokesperson Sontaga Seisa said they had investigated Kinnear’s complaint and had since referred the case to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Western Cape.
“Indeed, Ipid found legitimacy in the matter, hence the case docket was sent to DPP. No arrests have yet been made, Ipid is waiting for the outcome of the DPP’s decision,” said Seisa.
When pressed for further details on the investigation, Seisa said: “At this stage, Ipid is not in a position to add any additional information. Once again Ipid is not in a position to comment any further as there might be possibility of further investigations.”
Provincial NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said: “The NPA confirms receipt of the dockets from Ipid. We are busy studying them and a decision will be taken in due course.”
In his sworn affidavit, Kinnear had said of Modack and his co-accused: “The accused were detained at Pollsmoor Prison in Tokai, and an instruction was given that they must not receive any visits from any SAPS officials as it was proven that the accused had undue assistance from various SAPS officials.”
In his complaint, Kinnear also alleged that the six officers, seconded to the Crime Intelligence Unit in the Western Cape, had trumped-up charges against other officers - including himself, Lieutenant-General Peter Jacobs, Major-General Jeremy, Captain Althea Jeftha and Constable CV de Vries.
Kinnear alleged that this had been done through misusing state property and resources.
In relation to the allegation of defeating the ends of justice and perjury, Kinnear in his complaint alleged Barker, Britz and Titus had “blatantly intimidated (another police officer), and in so doing, they had coerced him to commit perjury by threatening him with arrest should he fail to submit a statement, as they wanted it stated in contradiction to a statement he had previously made”.
Kinnear had alleged that this had been done to discredit their counterparts.