ICD report on Mashigo still buried
2011-07-24 21:45
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Johannesburg - A report by the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) on former Free State police commissioner Lieutenant General Amon Mashigo and his management team is still shrouded in secrecy – a year after it was submitted to national Police Commissioner Bheki Cele.
According to a summary of the probe, allegations of the manipulation of statistics, irregular appointments and the misuse of vehicles and travel allowances were investigated against Mashigo and senior managers of the police in the province.
National ICD spokesperson Moses Dlamini confirmed that an investigation was conducted and that a report was finalised last year in July. He says the report was presented to Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa and Cele.
The brief summary of the report states that the allegations that incorrect crime statistics were presented to Mthethwa during his visit to the Free State on January 6 2009, were found to be true.
However, no further details were given.
According to the complainant, police reservist George Mashale, Mashigo was aware of the fact that the statistics were incorrect before they were presented.
The report further states that a recommendation was made in this regard.
Travel allowance
On allegations that two senior managers had attended the funeral of Mashigo’s father-in-law and then claimed subsistence and travel allowance, the summary states that no policy was found "that legitimises such a trip".
"A response on our recommendations is still awaited from the office of the minister," states the summary.
It further states that the procedures and responses received from the police about the appointment of 36 people without the necessary processes being followed remained questionable.
But Dlamini also maintains that no misconduct was established by the ICD in its final report.
He says that therefore no action was recommended against either Mashigo or his deputies.
Dlamini says "the final case investigative report [will] not been released publicly until it is processed by the minister of police and the national commissioner".
Popcru
Cele transferred Mashigo and three of his deputies - Major Generals Jacob Tsumane, Thapelo Mamabolo and Eric Nkuna - in November last year, amid another internal investigation into these allegations and charges laid by the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru).
Popcru in Free State confirms it laid charges of corruption, racism and questionable appointments against Mashigo and his management team.
Rankele Msinto, provincial secretary of the union, says the union was concerned about the high crime rate in the province and the infighting among senior management in the province.
He says after Mashigo and his deputies were moved, an investigator was appointed to conduct the internal investigation.
But Msinto says the union has not received any feedback on the investigation.
“We are still waiting to hear what the outcome of the investigation was,” he says.
Retire
Provincial commissioner in Limpopo Lieutenant General Tshifhiwa Sengani was moved to Free State and is believed to be going on leave at the end of the month, when he is due to retire.
Sources in the police, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Mashigo was also expected to retire this year.
Nkuna was moved to Gauteng as a cluster commander and Tsumane was moved to Rustenburg as the head of detectives. Mashigo’s office failed to respond and referred the questions to head office.
City Press has sent questions to Cele’s office on whether the investigation was completed and what the outcome was.
Receipt of the questions was confirmed but after two weeks and several follow-up calls, the questions were not answered.
Mthethwa’s office referred all queries to Cele’s office.
