Top management of the South African Police Service (SAPS) rejects former Provincial Commissioner Lennit Max's call to have Director Attie Trollip removed from investigating criminal cases.
As has been pointed out in the past from this office, media statements should not be made on the basis of media reports without any consultation with the SAPS as to the veracity of the reports.
Without deviating from our policy on refraining from discussing the status of active investigations, it must be pointed out that Lennit Max's media statement dated 18 November 2008 is factually incorrect.
Based on a media report, Max of the Democratic Alliance (DA) lambasted the SAPS for not having a female officer appointed to "interrogate" a rape victim in a well known case. The complainant, who has chosen to identify herself to the media, in fact gave her statement to a female superintendent attached to the Elsies River Family, Child Protection and Sexual offences unit.
An additional statement was obtained from the complainant, and follow up interviews conducted, in the presence of at least one of her parents, by an experienced senior police official, Director Attie Trollip.
The DA's media statement refers to the "incompetence of the investigation officer". This is grossly insulting and unfair as an Advocate in the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape has indicated to this office that he is satisfied with the manner in which the investigation has been conducted to date. In fact the exact term used was that the investigating officer had been "very careful."
The SAPS makes a call upon all parties to let this investigation run its course and not to cast wild aspersions on the integrity of a senior police official or any other person for the purposes of sensationalism or politicking.
Director Trollip will not be removed from this case or from any other criminal investigation.
Enquiries:
Sally de Beer
Cell 082 779 8658
Tel: 012 393 1574
E-mail: debeers@saps.org.za
