Cele targets McBride, asks Parliament to investigate him

Minister of Police Bheki Cele has urged Parliament to investigate allegations of unethical conduct against Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) executive director Robert McBride.

Cele wrote to the National Assembly informing MPs about the allegations, and requested that they be investigated. This is according to news reports published on Monday afternoon.

The letter dated July 6 was received from Cele, informing the assembly of the allegations against the Ipid head.

National speaker Baleka Mbete referred Cele’s letter to the police portfolio committee. The actual letter was, however, not publicised in Parliament’s papers.

In June, Cele instructed McBride to lift the suspension on top police investigator Cedrick Nkabinde.

Nkabinde was suspended for lifting the lid on what he reportedly called the “rot” at Ipid.

The top investigator alleged McBride was part of a dirty campaign. He accused the Ipid boss of unlawful and unethical conduct in the handling of former acting police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane’s case.

The Sunday Tribune claims to be in possession of a letter written by the police minister to McBride, which called for Nkabinde’s suspension to be lifted.

In said letter, dated June 12, Cele said the alleged unethical conduct levelled against McBride should be independently investigated to ensure due processes were adhered to.

Nkabinde was investigated for allegedly leaking information to external people in the media, compromising Ipid investigations and bringing the name of the organisation, its director and other senior managers into disrepute.