Ipid raid acting national police commissioner’s home

Police watchdog organisation the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) on Thursday obtained a search-and-seizure warrant to raid acting national police commissioner Lieutenant General Kgomotso Phahlane’s Pretoria home.

The warrant was obtained following a warning statement taken from Phahlane by Ipid investigators earlier today.

The top cop is being investigated for defeating the ends of justice and corruption. It is understood that the charges relate to his tenure as the head of the police’s forensics department.

Ipid investigators entered Phahlane’s exclusive Sable Hills Waterfront Estate home on Thursday afternoon. According to News24, the investigation reportedly looked into an R80 000 home theatre system installed in Phahlane’s house.

The person who sourced the electronic equipment on his behalf was allegedly a director of Crimetech Laboratories, Jolanta Komolodowicz.

Crimetech supplied forensic equipment and chemicals to the police when Phahlane was divisional commissioner for forensics.

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Phahlane allegedly told the estate’s manager not to cooperate with Ipid’s investigation.

The organisation has also been interviewing witnesses to determine how Phahlane, a career policeman, managed to afford the construction of the residence, reportedly worth about R8 million.

The investigation against Phalane began with a docket opened by private forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan who alleged that he protected convicted crime lord Radovan Krejcir.