Lamoer hands himself over to police
Lamoer is
expected to appear in the Goodwood Magistrates Court today on various criminal
charges.
CAPE TOWN
- Eyewitness News has learnt that Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant
General Arno Lamoer has this morning handed himself over to
authorities.
It
follows a lengthy investigation by the Hawks into his allegedly corrupt
relationship with a Cape Town businessman,
Mohamed Saleem Dawjee.
Three
other senior officers in the province are also under investigation for their
links to the controversial businessman.
It's
alleged Lamoer received money from Dawjee, who is also reported to have
splashed out on expensive gifts for police in the
province.
Lamoer is
expected to appear in the Goodwood Magistrates Court today on various criminal
charges, including corruption.
A source
has confirmed to Eyewitness News that he handed himself over to police a
short while ago.
It's
alleged the province's top cop received money from a Cape Town businessman, who
is also reported to have splashed out on expensive gifts for senior police
officials in the province.
The
Provincial Director of Public Prosecutions, Rodney de Kock, has been studying
the case files for some time now and speculation was rife that Lamoer would
soon be charged.
National
Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega was drawn into the scandal when it emerged in
late 2013 that she had allegedly tipped
off Lamoer that he was under investigation.
The
National Prosecuting Authority decided not to charge Phiyega for defeating the
ends of justice, but recommended an internal police process be carried out to
deal with the allegations.
The probe
into Lamoer and other top police officials began when Western Cape crime
intelligence officers obtained a court order to intercept telephone calls
between Lamoer and Dawjee.
Earlier
this month, Police Minister Nathi Nhleko was reportedly still
"mulling" over legal advice he received regarding proposed
disciplinary action against Phiyega.
Meanwhile,
Democratic Alliance (DA) and member of Parliament’s Police Portfolio
Commission, Dianne Kohler Barnard, says the charges against Lamoer raise
questions over whether Phiyega should ever have been cleared of allegations
that she'd tipped off her Western Cape counterpart that he was being
investigated.
“He was
quite clearly warned by national police commissioner on the recording that he
was under investigation, she warned him over and over yet the NPA has seen fit
not to charge her while they are charging him and others for relationships with
various drug lords.”
(Edited
by Gadeeja Abbas)
