Erstwhile Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) boss Robert McBride has explained why he cleared former Hawks bosses Anwa Dramat and Shadrack Sibiya of apparent involvement in the illegal rendition of Zimbabwean national some 15 years ago.
If anything, the case was in fact a ruse to get rid of Dramat. McBride said this before the Ad Hoc committee investigating allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system.
As for Sibiya, who was at the time head of the Hawks in Gauteng, he was a casualty of war directed as his superior – Dramat.
Bogus evidence against Sibiya
After an initial Ipid investigation report that had concluded that Dramat and Sibiya be charged, a second report by McBride cleared the duo.
McBride explained why he arrived at the conclusion. He mainly fingered unreliable witnesses he claims provided bogus evidence, especially against Sibiya.
According to McBride, the witnesses were rogue cops from crime intelligence planted to implicated Dramat and Sibiya to malign them for their removal in their positions.
For instance, he charged, evidence of where they placed Sibiya did not correspond with cellphone tower location of Sibiya’s mobile phone at the time of the alleged crime.
“The first report could not have been finalised because cellphone analysis report was not factored in. It could either implicate further or exonerate. It was clear from the cellphone analysis that General Sibiya was nowhere near the place of the crime,” said McBride.
“My own view is that the intention to get rid of Dramat and Sibiya just fell in the middle. Because someone had a bone to pick with him.”
SAPS CI implicated
McBride said the overinvolvement of SAPS Crime Intelligence (SAPS CI) in the matter was what gave away the sinister agenda.
In fact, he told the committee, the SAPS CI had no place being involved in the matter in the first place. Especially the suspicious planting of Israel Kgamanyane at Ipid, who acted in McBride’s position when he was suspended.
In his view, while there was a mission to remove Dramat, CI people wanted to see Sibiya’s backside. And this was because he had been involved in the arrest of their former boss Richard Mdluli.
“At some stage General Sibiya arrested General Mdluli… When he appeared in court, a number of armed people were putting the place under surveillance. General Sibiya approached them, and an altercation happened, and he arrested them,” said McBride.
“Those people were crime intelligence members. In my mind it’s a stitch up. It’s (the rendition case against Dramat and Sibiya) a fabrication. It cannot be possible unless General Sibiya has the capacity to bi-locate and be in two places at the same time.”
McBride’s two-day testimony before the Ad Hoc committee continues…
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