Probe on Phiyega not yet released

THE report into allegations that national Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega interfered in a crime intelligence investigation into a senior colleague remainsto see the light of day.

According to a reliable source within the ANC, the report was completed before the elections in May but the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has yet to release its findings to the public.

The investigation related to Phiyega who, reportedly on numerous occasions, tipped off Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Arno Lamoer that he was the subject of a probe by crime intelligence for his links to an alleged drug lord.

It has been more than eight months since the investigation into Phiyega was launched by Ipid and the watchdog body said at the end of October it would be completed in three months. Freedom Front Plus leader and MP Pieter Groenewald said he was worried the report would not be made public.

"If the allegations are not true, they would have made it public before the elections because it would have cleared Phiyega's name. The impression is that they are stalling."

He said Phiyega had welcomed the investigation to clear her name. "I'm a bit worried that they are not going to make it public because it's embarrassing," Groenewald said.

"How can the public have trust in the police if you have abuse at the top echelons."

The party would be requesting the report be presented and discussed at the earliest opportunity by parliament's portfolio committee on police.

DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard said public money had been spent to conduct the investigation and the report needed to released

"If reports are true and this investigation was completed before the elections and kept quiet, it speaks to exactly why Robert McBride [the head of Ipid] is the wrong person for the job," she said.

"[Then] political interference has come in to play. I will immediately put through questions to determine where this report is and what the outcome was. It's horrific that this thing has not been out yet. Are we looking at the first McBride whitewash," she said.

Despite repeated attempts, the Ipid and McBride had not responded to queries by the time of going to print.

Asked if Phiyega had been made aware of any findings, the SAPS referred all queries to Ipid. - Denise Williams