The family of murdered top police officer, Charl Kinnear has expressed their outrage towards the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), alleging that the agency has shown profound disrespect towards them.
This accusation surfaced following the recent declassification of the investigation report concerning Kinnear's tragic murder, an event that has left South Africa reeling since it occurred in September 2020.
Kinnear was fatally shot outside his home in Bishop Lavis, Cape Town, and his widow, Nicolette Kinnear, confronted the IPID on the handling of the investigation.
During an exclusive interview with Newzroom Africa, Nicolette revealed that she had made three separate applications to have the investigation report declassified, all of which were met with refusal.
The widow’s frustration stemmed not just from the classification itself but from the shocking revelation that she and her children were not invited to the formal briefing where the report's declassification was announced.
“This report should not have been classified to start with. I tried to have this report declassified on three occasions and we were denied on all three occasions.
The disrespect that was shown,” she stated emphatically, underscoring her belief that the report's classification was unnecessary and unjust. Nicolette further lamented, “To sit and to say that the nation has the right to know before me and my children is appalling. I did not lose a cup or saucer; I lost my husband.” Her discontent was palpable, revealing her sense of grief compounded by exclusion from the investigative process.
During the Wednesday briefing, IPID Executive Director Dikeledi Ntlaseng explained that the report remained classified to protect the identities of witnesses and police personnel implicated in Kinnear's murder, which was still under judicial proceedings.
Ntlaseng clarified that the decision to declassify the report was motivated by recent developments in the investigation, which involves high-ranking officials within the South African law enforcement agencies, including a senior member of the Hawks and a former commander of the Anti-Gang Unit.
“The decision to classify was guided by Section 33 (2) of the IPID Act, which states that information related to any investigation conducted by the Directorate cannot be disclosed to any parties except those implicated. The department had to also ensure that it protects itself from being exposed to unnecessary litigation. However, on this day, I am pleased that IPID has taken the decision to declassify the investigation report on the Kinnear murder ,” she said.
She added that the decision was due to the latest developments in the matter adding that IPID was yet to engage the Kinnear family over the decision to declassify the report.
Despite the agency's justification for the prior secrecy, the Kinnear family feels the case has been mishandled.
Nicolette's engagement on the matter, coming only through her work in media, highlights the deep fissures between the IPID and the victim’s family. “I got to know about it because I am in media and I attended in my capacity as media and not as the family—it is disgusting,” she asserted, her anguish and indignation evident.
Ntlaseng indicated that IPID's decision to finally share the investigation report was a response to significant new developments in the case, asserting that the office had made criminal referrals to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Star
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