Ilyaas Bassardien – Reporter
CAPE TOWN – The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has declassified a 2022 report into the murder of senior Anti-Gang Unit detective, Charl Kinnear who was gunned down outside his home in 2020.
IPID claims that the report was previously kept classified and declared ‘Top Secret’ to avoid revealing the identities of implicated witnesses and officers who have not yet been charged. The head of legal at IPID, Stephans Ramafoko added that classifying the report was also to avoid interference in ongoing investigations by other entities in the matter.
The report implicates nine officers, seven of whom were from the South African Police Service, and two who were from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation. The Deputy director of IPID in the Western Cape, Mario September, later clarified that some of those implicated from SAPS include a former commander of the Anti-Gang Unit, a brigadier, at least two Captains and some Warrant Officers.
IPID had also assured the media that it will have a consultation with Kinnear’s family. However, the widow, Nicolette, who attended the briefing as a member of the media, had expressed her disgust by the way in which IPID has treated the de-classification and for hosting the press briefing without first alerting Kinnear’s family of the de-classification.
Nicolette Kinnear, talking to the media following the IPID press briefing as members of the agency listen in to her remarks [Ilyaas Bassardien / Radio 786]
“As a family, [we are] totally disgusted that we weren’t informed about the briefing. And what made matters even worse was that someone on the panel dared to say that they didn’t let the family know as they deem it more important for the nation… The disgust, the arrogance….my kids lost their Dad and this is the sentiment you’re taking” said Nicolette Kinnear while talking to Radio 786.
She also claimed that the report had not been classified and that IPID was ‘saving face’ now that details of an alleged plot to murder her husband are surfacing in court.
There are 15 suspects including alleged underworld kingpin, Nafiz Modack, on trial for their alleged involvement in Kinnear’s murder. The trial continues in the Western Cape High Court.
