CAPE TOWN, November 1 (ANA) – The State on Tuesday withdrew criminal charges against Robert McBride, the head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, and two co-accused after telling the Pretoria High Court that its witnesses had been intimidated.
The charges against McBride and IPID colleagues Matthew Sesoko and Innocent Khuba relate to the alleged amending of a report into illegal deportation of Zimbabwean murder suspects in 2010 to absolve the former head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Anwa Dramat, of wrongdoing.
Prosecutors withdrew the charges after telling the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court that witnesses were reluctant to testify and consulting during the court’s lunch break with Torie Pistorius, the head of the National Prosecuting Authority’s priority crimes litigation unit.
McBride recently returned to his post as head of IPID after the Constitutional Court in September set aside his suspension by Police Minister Nathi Nhleko, ruling that it was invalid.
– African News Agency (ANA)
