No breakthrough yet in hunt for top cop Charl Kinnear's killers, say Hawks

The team investigating top detective Charl Kinnear’s murder are yet to make any arrests.

The seasoned sleuth, who was a section commander in the police anti-gang unit, was gunned down on Friday afternoon outside his home in Bishop Lavis, Cape Town.

National police commissioner Gen Khehla Sitole instructed Western Cape commissioner Lt-Gen Yolisa Matakata to “immediately activate the 72-hour activation plan”.

According to Sitole’s spokesperson, Brig Vishnu Naidoo, the plan entails the mobilisation of “critical departments including crime intelligence, forensic experts, the Hawks and tactical units to ensure evidence or information that could assist in the successful investigation of this case is not lost”.

On Tuesday, Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Philani Nkwalase told TimesLIVE his directorate is leading the investigation.

“I can confirm  no arrests have been made at this stage,” he said.

“We are leading the investigation, which is a multidisciplinary approach. The investigation is being conducted by a team comprised of crime intelligence, the anti-gang unit and provincial detectives. It’s all hands on deck. We are working to ensure not only an arrest, but also a successful prosecution.”

Naidoo said Kinnear was “involved in investigations into several high-profile cases resulting in multiple arrests”.

On Friday, Sitole vowed: “The SA Police Service will not rest until those responsible for his murder are brought to book.”

Police minister Bheki Cele visited Kinnear’s family on Saturday. He said police had failed the slain detective by stripping him of protection. He said the decision would be investigated and “heads should roll”. 

Standing next to Kinnear's widow, Nicolette, and her two sons, Cele said: “The man had been under threat all the time, starting from when people were moving with hand grenades around here.

“There was protection but it was withdrawn. Those are the things that need to be investigated. Why was the protection withdrawn? 

“I concede that things were not done the way they were supposed to be done. Let's get the facts. Heads will have to roll as we find out what really happened.”

TimesLIVE

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