Shrien Dewani case: Bheki Cele should apologise for imperiling course of justice

The National Police Commissioner, Bheki Cele, should publicly retract his offensive and ill-informed comments, which may have compromised the case against Shrien Dewani and undermined the course of justice in our country. I shall be writing today to the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa, under whose authority the commissioner falls, requesting that he compel the commissioner to issue the apology and retraction immediately. 

After a string of bizarre statements, one of which that he hoped the Americans would lose in the first round of the Football World Cup, National Commissioner Cele is being quoted saying: ‘a monkey came all the way from London to have his wife murdered here.' The commissioner was recorded on TV saying this. However, upon realizing that he had made a grievous error of judgment, he chose to issue an embarrassing denial that his comments were in reference to Shrien Dewani.

We should not understate the significance of these comments: it would be a national tragedy if a trial was prevented because of the commissioner's foolhardiness. These comments carry disturbing racial undertones, and they could adversely affect our country's extradition request for Mr. Dewani.

These are not the attributes of a leader of a police service that is supposed to uphold the law and ensure that investigations are conducted without prejudice or favour. Indeed, the DA has begun to question the ability of the commissioner to conduct himself in a manner befitting an impartial officer of the law.

Tragically for justice, these are the fruits of ANC cadre deployment.

The DA is aware that the Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa has written to the Public Protector concerning this matter and that the commissioner may be asked to apologise based on the findings. However, it is time for the minister to show that neither he nor the commissioner needs to be bullied into admitting fault when they have so grievously erred. Justice and the country wait to see if the minister will do the right thing.

Statement issued by Dianne Kohler Barnard MP, Democratic Alliance Shadow Minister of Police, December 14 2010

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