The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member of parliament Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi says the party will take the matter against Police Minister Bheki Cele a step further by reporting him to the Public Protector.
Ndlozi laid a criminal complaint against Cele at the Sunnyside Police Station in Pretoria, citing political interference and defeating the ends of justice. This is in relation to the suspension of Crime Intelligence boss Lt. Gen Peter Jacobs and five other police officials.
The officials were suspended last November by National Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole. However, last week the High Court in Pretoria dismissed their application to have their suspension overturned.
Cele then wrote to Sitole asking him to lift their suspension. Ndlozi says Cele’s action amount to political interference and defeating the ends of justice.
“We’ve got to exercise oversight. We’ve got an obligation as the members of parliament, as an opposition – political party – to exercise oversight on these procurements of PPEs and once allegations of corruption have been made against officials, within the police wherever in institutions of government, they’ve got to be investigated without any interruption. Without any fear. Without any favour. So, in this case, the minister of police – this a classic case of political interference, defeating the ends of justice.”
Meanwhile, Ndlozi says further action against Cele will be sought. He says he will also be reporting him to the public protector.
“We’ve also taken an initiative that we are going to report him to the public protector because what he did is a perfect classic case of the ways in which at different levels many politicians undermine investigations into corruption.”
Cele acknowledged that he wrote the letter to Sitole asking him to put Jacobs and other official’s suspension in abeyance, while he awaits a report from the Inspector-General, which he believes how it should have been done. He also said he is aware of Ndlozi’s action but will only comment once the process starts to unfold.
“We have reason to believe minister may very well be involved, benefitting in this”
