‘DPP CHOSE NOT TO CHARGE SENIOR COPS’

MBABANE – The senior police executives who allegedly instructed the four standing trial junior officers to allegedly illegally delete ex-convicts’ criminal records remain free and are at work due to the DPP’s offices temporary decision.

As the suspended police officer Lucky ‘Obama’ Matsenjwa remains incarcerated and his three co-accused colleagues are suspended from work, the senior officers are enjoying their freedom and are on full pay, for now.

It should be noted though that the senior officers have not be charged as yet but were implicated in Matsenjwa’s court case.
National Commissioner of Police Isaac Magagula, during an exclusive interview on Thursday, told the Times SUNDAY that it was the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who decided not to charge the senior police officers.
The police chief said the DPP was aware of the names of the senior police executives allegedly involved in the fingerprints scandal because they (police leadership) submitted a dossier of documents to the DPP and it was him (DPP) who elected not to charge the high-ranking officers.

The DPP at that time was Nkosinathi Maseko who has since been promoted to the position of High Court Judge. The acting DPP is now Phila Dlamini.
Thursday was the first time that Magagula admitted to knowing the identities of some senior police executives alleged involvement in the illegal removal of the fingerprints records belonging to ex-convicts.
The senior police officers are alleged to have instructed their juniors responsible for the criminal data system to delete criminal records belonging to their relatives.

“After the DPP had seen the document, he said he knew everyone who is involved in the matter but won’t name them as yet. He said he would approach the matter in his own professional way. He said sometimes it was better not to bundle people together in a case depending on the status of the investigations and the facts. He said sometimes it is better to tackle one case and complete it before tackling the other one. He said this openly,” Magagula said.
The office of the DPP has already indicated that the names of the senior officers have been forwarded to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Magagula said just as indicated by the DPP’s office, the names of all the police officers allegedly involved in the scandal were known and would be dealt with, whether they were senior or junior.
“We know who is involved. I won’t hide that there are senior officers involved. But the DPP has said he will deal with the current case first and then focus on the other one (involving senior cops). Nothing is being hidden, time will come. Let us be patient and see what happens to the current case,” he said.

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