Ipid to investigate Phiyega 'defeating the ends of
justice' charge
Sapa | 29
October, 2013 17:58
Riah
Phiyega. File photo.
Image by: MOELETSI MABE
Image by: MOELETSI MABE
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate
(Ipid) will investigate allegations against national police commissioner Riah
Phiyega, it said.
A docket
of defeating the ends of justice was referred to the Ipid's Western Cape
provincial office after it was registered at the Bishop Lavis police
station," it said in a statement.
"An
investigator has been appointed and given an instruction to fast-track the
investigation. The investigator will contact all the relevant role players in
due course."
The
allegations surround claims that Phiyega tipped off Western Cape police
commissioner Lt-Gen Arno Lamoer about investigations against him.
Acting
Ipid director Koekie Mbeki said the decision to probe the matter was in line
with the Ipid Act.
"As
the Ipid, we will conduct an independent and impartial investigation and we
hope that we will get the necessary co-operation from all parties so that we
can expedite this investigation," she said.
"We
expect to complete the investigation within three months."
Phiyega
welcomed the probe, said her spokesman Lt-Gen Solomon Makgale.
"The
national commissioner still maintain[s] that she committed no crime," he
said.
"General
Phiyega would like to reassure members of the SA Police Service, as well as the
people of South Africa, that she remains focused on her efforts to fight crime
and ensure that all police units and officials conduct their tasks with the
utmost integrity," he said.
According
to reports, Phiyega told Lamoer on three occasions that she was aware he was
under investigation.
The
Sunday Independent reported that their telephone conversations had been legally
recorded by crime intelligence operatives monitoring Lamoer's calls.
He was
allegedly associated with a Cape Town drug-dealer and well-known businessman.
In the
conversations, Phiyega reportedly made Lamoer aware of similar allegations by
Hawks' boss Anwa Dramat.
According
to the report, the disclosures outraged crime intelligence operatives, who had
threatened to lay criminal charges against Phiyega.
Phiyega
denied tipping-off Lamoer.
"The
national commissioner confirmed that she did not initiate a conversation with
Lt-Gen Lamoer with regard to these allegations, but that the conversation arose
as a result of a question by a [Democratic Alliance] Member of
Parliament," Makgale said.
"The
department is obliged to reply to such questions."
He said
Phiyega could confirm that she became aware of the inquiry into Lamoer on May
29, after she was briefed by the Hawks.
"An
inquiry is an assessment done by the Hawks to establish if there is prima facie
evidence to warrant a full investigation prior to opening a docket,"
Makgale said.
"...
Dramat, at the time, indicated that the inquiry was initiated at the request of
Lt-Gen Lamoer in July 2012. In other words, Lt-Gen Lamoer has always been aware
of the inquiry."
He said
the inquiry had at no time been public knowledge.
"Hence
Lt-Gen Lamoer's surprise when he found out that a political party was aware of
such a matter."
Phiyega
previously said it was "interesting" that the allegations against her
surfaced from "faceless people" shortly after her decision to put
former acting crime intelligence boss Maj-Gen Chris Ngcobo on special leave.
Ngcobo
was placed on special leave last week after a vetting process allegedly found
discrepancies in his qualifications.
