An award-winning top cop probing the Senzo Meyiwa murder case has allegedly pulled out of the investigation in a huff.
Captain Joyce Buthelezi - from the Hillbrow Family Violence and Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit - withdrew after the committee overseeing the probe allegedly rejected one of her key recommendations.
According to police insiders close to the case, Buthelezi had suggested that all the people who were in the house when the Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain was murdered be arrested and charged with perjury or for defeating the ends of justice.
This was because she believed the witnesses misled the police about what happened on the night the goalie was gunned down in what appeared to be an armed robbery at his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo's house in Spruitview on the East Rand last October.
It is understood Buthelezi received death threats following her recommendation.
The witnesses are Khumalo and her sister Zandi, music supremo Chicco Twala's son Longwe and the player's friends Tumelo Madladla and Mthokozisi Twala.
Buthelezi, a winner of the Gauteng Catch of the Year and Provincial Commissioners Award in 2011 for arresting and securing the conviction of notorious serial rapist Mlungisa Mtshali, could not be reached for comment.
Meyiwa's father, Sam, declined to comment.
National police spokesman Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale downplayed Buthelezi's resignation.
"Captain Buthelezi provides specialist psychological investigation support to the team as and when required," said Makgale.
"She has never reported receiving death threats. In fact, no one in the investigation team has received death threats."
According to an official who sits on the committee, made up of National Prosecuting Authority officials and top cops, Buthelezi got upset when her proposal, made at the SAPS headquarters in Pretoria in May, got sneezed at.
The official, who did not want to be named because he was not allowed to speak to the media, said: "This was based on the contradicting statements from the witnesses.
"She believed the only way she could crack the case was to arrest the witnesses and charge them so they could tell the truth about what exactly happened. When she was turned down, she resigned toward the end of June."
The official added that Buthelezi felt her hard work on the docket had gone to waste because her superiors were not prepared to implement her recommendation.
"She gave the docket to her superiors, but they were sceptical to implement her suggestions," the official said.
"It's now gathering dust in one of the colonel's offices at the SAPS head office in Pretoria."
news@sundayworld.co.za
Top cop quits Senzo Meyiwa case
An award-winning top cop probing the Senzo Meyiwa murder case has allegedly pulled out of the investigation in a huff.
Captain Joyce Buthelezi - from the Hillbrow Family Violence and Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit - withdrew after the committee overseeing the probe allegedly rejected one of her key recommendations.
According to police insiders close to the case, Buthelezi had suggested that all the people who were in the house when the Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain was murdered be arrested and charged with perjury or for defeating the ends of justice.
This was because she believed the witnesses misled the police about what happened on the night the goalie was gunned down in what appeared to be an armed robbery at his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo's house in Spruitview on the East Rand last October.
It is understood Buthelezi received death threats following her recommendation.
The witnesses are Khumalo and her sister Zandi, music supremo Chicco Twala's son Longwe and the player's friends Tumelo Madladla and Mthokozisi Twala.
Buthelezi, a winner of the Gauteng Catch of the Year and Provincial Commissioners Award in 2011 for arresting and securing the conviction of notorious serial rapist Mlungisa Mtshali, could not be reached for comment.
Meyiwa's father, Sam, declined to comment.
National police spokesman Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale downplayed Buthelezi's resignation.
"Captain Buthelezi provides specialist psychological investigation support to the team as and when required," said Makgale.
"She has never reported receiving death threats. In fact, no one in the investigation team has received death threats."
According to an official who sits on the committee, made up of National Prosecuting Authority officials and top cops, Buthelezi got upset when her proposal, made at the SAPS headquarters in Pretoria in May, got sneezed at.
The official, who did not want to be named because he was not allowed to speak to the media, said: "This was based on the contradicting statements from the witnesses.
"She believed the only way she could crack the case was to arrest the witnesses and charge them so they could tell the truth about what exactly happened. When she was turned down, she resigned toward the end of June."
The official added that Buthelezi felt her hard work on the docket had gone to waste because her superiors were not prepared to implement her recommendation.
"She gave the docket to her superiors, but they were sceptical to implement her suggestions," the official said.
"It's now gathering dust in one of the colonel's offices at the SAPS head office in Pretoria."
news@sundayworld.co.za
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