Police boss mum on scandal
September 15 2014 at 07:44am
Western Cape police
commissioner Arno Lamoer
SiyavuyaMzantsi and Sapa
WESTERN Cape police commissioner Arno Lamoer has
refused to be drawn on reports that he and three other top provincial officers
face charges of corruption and racketeering.
“No comment. No comment. I don’t want to comment on
those stories,” Lamoer said yesterday.
The Sunday Independent, a sister paper to the Cape
Times, quoted sources as saying plans were in progress to charge Lamoer,
Brigadier KolindrenGovender, Brigadier Sharon Govender and Brigadier Darius van
der Ross. Hawks spokesman Paul Ramaloko was quoted as saying they were being
investigated in connection with allegations of collusion with drug dealers.
The Hawks also investigated police chief
RiahPhiyega following allegations that she had told Lamoer he was to be
investigated.
The National Prosecuting Authority said yesterday
she would not be charged with defeating the ends of justice.
The DA’s spokeswoman on police, Dianne Kohler
Barnard, said the party would write asking the director of the Independent
Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), Robert McBride, to brief the
parliamentary portfolio committee on police on the investigation into Phiyega,
and make public the recommendations he made to the NPA in this regard.
“Given the severity of these allegations and
(Phiyega’s) tarnished record, it is essential that Parliament get access to the
recommendations made by Ipid and whether the decision not to pursue charges
against General Phiyega is rational.”
Kohler Barnard said Phiyega had failed to rectify
the resourcing crisis in the police service. Also, no decisive action had been
taken against SAPS members found to have criminal records.
NPA spokesman NathiMcube said Ipid had investigated
the complaint made against Phiyega last year. The docket had been passed first
to the National Director of Public Prosecutions, MxolisiNxasana, and then to
the provincial director,
Rodney de Kock, for a decision.
De Kock said yesterday the matter had been referred
back for further investigation. “Once the investigation is done, I will make a
decision.”
siyavuya.mzantsi@inl.co.za
