Metro police chief Robert McBride’s lawyer has confirmed he is the prosecutor in disciplinary charges against three of McBride’s suspended colleagues and accusers.
”I am prosecuting the three. I am acting against [Stanley] Sagathevan, [Patrick] Johnson and [Itumeleng] Koko,” Roshan Dehal said.
Dehal said the disciplinary hearing, which began on Monday at the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality (EMM), had been adjourned until the first week in October.
He said his client in the disciplinary hearing was the EMM.
The three metro cops reportedly received immunity from prosecution relating to their alleged involvement in cash-in-transit robberies in exchange for testimony against McBride.
This testimony would reportedly relate to a drunken-driving case against McBride.
Dehal denied on Wednesday there was a conflict of interest with his role as prosecutor in the disciplinary hearing.
”Where’s the conflict? My client [in the hearing] is the employer [the municipality],” he said.
”Even if my client were McBride [in the disciplinary hearing], there would be no conflict.”
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Tlali Tlali confirmed last week that three people had been granted immunity from prosecution ”in respect of their collusion on the drunken driving case [against McBride]”.
Tlali declined to name them.
Dehal said the three metro police officers faced a number of charges, some criminal, such as attempted murder, fraud and corruption.
”The nature of the charges are tantamount to criminal charges,” he said.
Dehal will also be representing McBride on criminal charges of driving while under the influence of alcohol, defeating the course of justice and fraud, in November. — Sapa