/ 23 January 2007

McBride to break silence on car crash

Ekurhuleni metro police chief Robert McBride will break his silence about his December car crash on Wednesday.

”The executive mayor of Ekurhuleni, Duma Nkosi, and chief of police Robert McBride will tomorrow [Wednesday] jointly address the media on the latter’s unfortunate car accident,” spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality Zweli Dlamini said in a statement on Tuesday.

McBride returned to work on Monday after injuring his head and breaking ribs in a crash on the R511 near Centurion on December 21.

Witnesses at the scene alleged he was ”blind drunk”. At the time, Ekurhuleni metro police denied that McBride was drunk or that police officers assaulted or threatened witnesses.

Police are investigating charges of reckless or negligent driving.

Earlier this month, South African Broadcasting Corporation news reported that the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) is investigating charges of defeating the ends of justice after claims of a cover-up in the McBride car-crash investigation.

It quoted an ICD spokesperson as saying that no blood sample had been taken as required by law. — Sapa