Several high-ranking officers from the South African Police Service (SAPS) and a former Anti-Gang Unit commander have been implicated in the murder of Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) unveiled its findings on Wednesday, declassifying its “Top Secret” investigation report, which sheds light on the potential involvement of these officers in Kinnear’s assassination.
The IPID investigation indicates that both actions and inactions by certain officers may have contributed to the killing of Kinnear, a prominent detective in the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU). According to SAPS regulations, inaction on the part of an officer can constitute misconduct. While the briefing did not specify names, previous reports, leaked in 2022, have linked figures such as Major General Andre Lincoln and Captain Robert van Aswegen, both affiliated with the Western Cape Anti-Gang Unit.
Kinnear’s case has gripped the nation, not only for its tragic outcome but also for the alleged internal failings that may have contributed to his death. A section commander in the Anti-Gang Unit, Kinnear was shot and killed outside his home in Bishop Lavis on 18 September 2020. His murder raised urgent questions within the community and among officials about why his protection detail had been withdrawn prior to the incident.
The IPID launched its investigation into Kinnear’s murder in 2021, and the subsequent findings were classified until last year. The Director of IPID, Dikeledi Jennifer Ntlatseng, confirmed that steps are being taken against the officers identified in the report. However, as of this latest announcement, no arrests have been made.
“To date, IPID has made criminal referrals to the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) for prosecutions and disciplinary recommendations against the implicated officers to SAPS and the DPCI as employers,”
Ntlatseng stated. She also mentioned that SAPS has already started implementing the recommended disciplinary actions against its officers.
In her statement, Ntlatseng elaborated on why the report had initially been classified.
“…we had to protect sensitive information of witnesses and the information of the implicated officers at the time because they were not yet charged… the department also had to ensure that it protects itself from being exposed to unnecessary litigation,”
she explained.
The declassification of the report, effective from 1 November, has not included any redacted information, allowing the public access to the full findings. The investigation has identified nine officers in connection with the case, seven of whom are part of SAPS, while two are associated with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, specifically from its Crimes Against the State (CATS) unit.
In the ongoing murder trial, Major General Lincoln has taken the stand this week at the High Court to provide his testimony.
