South Africa News

Police watchdog probes officers over alleged gang links reports

Police watchdog probes officers over alleged gang links reports. This comes after Colonel Charl Kinnear lodged a complaint in which he asked for an urgent investigation into crimes allegedly committed by six members of the provincial crime intelligence unit who are alleged to be linked to high-flying gangsters.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has launched an investigation into allegations made against police officers accused of having links to gangs. Kinnear is the investigating officer into the extortion case against Nafiz Modack, Colin Booysen, Ashley Fields, Jacques Cronje and Carl Lakay.

Ipid spokesperson Moses Dlamini said they would investigate the “various serious offences” that were received while their offices were closed.

SAPS

“The complaint alleges serious offences, including extortion, defeating the ends of justice and systemic corruption. An analysis of the complaint was done to determine if the allegations fell within the mandate of the Ipid. A team co-ordinated from the national office has commenced investigations.

“The Ipid has also received a complaint from Western Cape Community Safety MEC Alan Winde against Major-General Jeremy Veary. This complaint will be assigned to our Western Cape office for investigation,” Dlamini said.

Previously, top cop Vearey had slammed the “special operation” against him as a plot to defame and frame him in a smear campaign.

“(They) have been running a special operation for the past few years on instruction of a general. This operation has expressed purpose to discredit me by manufacturing false allegations in order to affect (sic) arrest of myself with the co-operation of elements in the media for purposes of embarrassment.”

In his complaint, Kinnear said, the six officers he lodged a complaint against were “misusing state property and resources in a personal attack under the pretence that they were investigating Lieutenant-General Peter Jacobs, Vearey, Captain Althea Jeftha, Constable CV de Vries and myself (Kinnear)”.

Dlamini said: “Due to the sensitivity of the investigations, the Ipid will comment only once they are concluded.”

Source: IOL News