Cape Town – Nicolette Kinnear, the widow of Lieutenant Colonel Charl Kinnear, has turned to AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit to compel the police to act on shortcomings that led to her husband’s murder.
In a letter to Police Minister General Bheki Cele, seen by The Bulrushes, Advocate Gerrie Nel Head of the Private Prosecution Unit writes: “Our client already consulted with South African Police (SAPS) management and submitted testimony to the Portfolio Committee on Police.
“Nonetheless, she has witnessed no satisfactory progress or assuaging explanations regarding Kinnear’s murder and has reached the end of her tether, therefore, our involvement.”
Lieutenant Colonel Kinnear, who was the SAPS section commander for the Western Cape anti-gang unit, was shot dead on 18 September 2020 while seated in the driver’s seat of his white Toyota Corolla at his home in Bishop Lavis, Cape Town.
“We reiterate three years later, no heads rolled, no disciplinary steps were instituted, and the IPID [Independent Police Investigative Directorate] recommendations were ignored,” said Advocate Nel in his letter to the police minister.
“Similarly, in numerous other cases, there have been no consequences for the hollow, politically motivated pronouncements by the Minister of Police.”
In the letter dated 5 October 2023, Advocate Nel adds: “It is a sad day indeed, yet deplorable that she is expected to accept as inevitable that Police Management is indifferent or unsurprisingly unable to deal with the recommendations of the IPID report (Kinnear Investigation and related matters).
“This letter intends to address the absolute failure of the SAPS and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to address those individuals within the SAPS whose conduct enabled the tragic assassination of Kinnear.
“It defies all belief that the SAPS has done nothing to address or prevent the failures that made the assassination possible.”
The letter was also copied to the Executive Director Independent Police Investigative Directorate Jennifer Ntlatseng, and the National SAPS Commissioner General Fannie Masemola South African Police Service.
