Top SA cop suspended over Zim renditions

via Top SA cop suspended over Zim renditions 05 January 2015

TOP South African cop, Shadrack Sibiya, has received a notice of suspension from the head office for his alleged involvement in the illegal rendition of Zimbabweans in 2010, according to Eye Witness News.

Allegations are that Sibiya, who is Gauteng head of directorate for criminal investigations (Hawks), played a role in the rendition of Zimbabwean men who include Witness Ndeya, Gordon Dube and Pritchard Tshuma. Ndeya and Dube were reportedly murdered by the Zimbabwean police while Tshuma went missing.

Sibiya was initially cleared of any involvement and the latest development follows the suspension of Hawks head Anwa Dramat on the same charges.

It’s understood the Gauteng Hawks chief has welcomed the intention to suspend him and will cooperate with the investigation in a bid to clear his name.

Sibiya has maintained that he was not involved in the rendition of the men to Zimbabwe in any form and has welcomed the notice of suspension.

The Major-General says he’s not worried about it and is ready to cooperate with the probe in a bid to clear his name.

Two years ago, he accused Crime Intelligence of resorting to dirty tricks after he was implicated but now insists the notice of suspension is not part of any agenda and is merely procedural.

Sibiya is the former head of the now disbanded Scorpions Unit.
Meanwhile, a lawyer representing Dramat says Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko has invited them to meet this week to discuss his client’s suspension.

Dramat was last month placed on precautionary suspension by Nhleko, pending an investigation into his alleged involvement in the illegal rendition of Zimbabweans in 2010.

But Dramat’s lawyer Johan Nortjé claims political reasons are behind the suspension, as he refused to get rid of certain people investigating cases close to President Jacob Zuma.

Dramat has written to Nhleko, asking him to lift his suspension by the end of today or else he will consider going to the Labour Court.

Nortjé says the suspension was unconstitutional.

Dramat has been replaced by acting head Major General Benny Ntlemeza, who testified in the murder inquest against former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.

The investigation was conducted by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), which reportedly has evidence of meetings between Zimbabwean police and Dramat, as well as fake Home Affairs documents used during the rendition.