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Phahlane’s prospects for Phiyega’s job damaged by corruption probe

07 September 2016. LISTEN UP: Acting police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane has introduced a back-to-basics strategy for everything from how police relate to the public to handling crime scenes professionally. Pic: Simphiwe Nkwali. © Sunday Times.
07 September 2016. LISTEN UP: Acting police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane has introduced a back-to-basics strategy for everything from how police relate to the public to handling crime scenes professionally. Pic: Simphiwe Nkwali. © Sunday Times.

Corruption and defeating the ends of justice accusations hanging over acting police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane’s head are harmful to his prospect of being appointed to the post permanently‚ the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) has said.

Gareth Newham‚ head of the governance‚ crime and justice division at the institute‚ said that President Jacob Zuma would probably have to appoint a commissioner to replace the suspended incumbent‚ Riah Phiyega.

“There is a lot at stake here ... [Zuma] will be hesitant in appointing [Phahlane] while he is facing these allegations and this will have impact on the appointment of what could be a good person for the job‚” Newham said.

The Claassen Board of Inquiry appointed to probe Phiyega’s fitness to hold office has reportedly found her to be unfit for the position and that she should be dismissed.

The board of inquiry was established after Phiyega was accused of misconduct during the Marikana massacre‚ where 44 people were killed.

On Thursday‚ Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) members raided Phahlane’s multi-million rand home in the upmarket Sable Hills Waterfront Estate‚ northeast of Pretoria‚ in search of an R80 000 home theatre system allegedly paid for by Crimetech Laboratories‚ a manufacturer of chemicals in police forensic investigations.

Phahlane has denied any wrongdoing‚ saying he paid for the system himself and has proved this information to IPID investigators.

Newham said the way the whole saga has played out in the media fundamentally undermined Phahlane’s character and reputation. It also fed into the trend of public mistrust on the criminal justice system.

Phahlane has said the IPID raid was traumatic for his family and an assault on his character

Newham said this was why the investigation should be carried out speedily and with sensitivity.

Phahlane was not facing any formal charges and the IPID was investigating allegations of wrongdoing.

Newham added: “We have seen so much distrust at the senior levels of criminal justice system because of political interference‚ because of poor appointments‚ because of findings by courts — for example that (Hawks head Major-General Berning Ntlemeza) repeatedly lied under oath and good people are forced out of the criminal justice system.”

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