I am being charged for doing my work - McBride

Johannesburg - Suspended IPID head Robert McBride claims he is being criminally charged for his report into the illegal rendition of five Zimbabweans that former Hawks head Anwa Dramat and other officials were allegedly involved in.

This came after reports that McBride and two colleagues would be charged with fraud and defeating the ends of justice.

Speaking to Talk Radio 702 on Monday morning, McBride said he believed this was an attempt to justify unlawful decisions taken.

"There is no crime, there is no misdemeanor. We have been charged for doing our work and the fact that the [police] ministry is unhappy with the outcome of an investigation is the minister's problem. It's not our problem," he said.

According to Netwerk24, McBride, Matthew Sesoko and Innocent Khuba were being investigated by the Hawks's Crimes Against the State (Cats) unit.

The charges relate to their investigation of former Hawks head Lieutenant General Anwa Dramat.

McBride said he was informed about the charges via an sms sent to him by a member of the Cats at midday on Sunday.

"I received an sms... that I should present myself without fail on Tuesday to process me."

When asked if he would, McBride said he was still getting legal advice on whether he should "dignify unconstitutional behaviour" by a member of the Hawks.

"They should be investigating people who undermine the Constitution and who undermine the respect for the rule of law, not those who are upholding the Constitution and in general having respect for the rule of law.

"The mandate of IPID is to investigate the Hawks, amongst others. Does it mean every time the minister or the Hawks are unhappy with our investigation then we become the subject of investigations by the Hawks?" he asked.

McBride denied allegations by Police Minister Nathi Nhleko that he tampered with a report into the illegal renditions of five Zimbabwean nationals in 2010, which Dramat and several senior Hawks officials were allegedly involved in. McBride allegedly changed the report to protect Dramat. Dramat was suspended in December 2014. 

"Later on, when I brought it to his [the minister's] attention that I did not recommend he should be suspended, the story changed and by the end of January 2015 he had started disagreeing with the report. Now I am to be charged... on the basis of my report."

McBride denied that he had changed the report. He said the investigator, who handled the report, made changes because he had additional and contradictory evidence and therefore it was incumbent on him to change it.

"He [the investigator] has explained that... he was not told by myself or anybody else to change any report to suit anyone.

"The issue is that it's a blue lie to say I changed the report. I didn't change any report. What I did is sign off on a report which I am expected to do in terms our regulations and procedures," McBride said.

This article first appeared on News24 – see here.