JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) – South Africa’s police watchdog has recommended that suspended national commissioner Riah Phiyega should face criminal charges for defeating the ends of justice, local media reported yesterday.
Phiyega, the top-ranking police official when police killed 34 striking workers near Lonmin’s Marikana mine four years ago, was suspended by president Jacob Zuma last year pending an inquiry into allegations of misconduct.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate announced in parliament that a recommendation for Phiyega to be charged with defeating the ends of justice had been handed over to the National Prosecuting Authority, 702 Talk Radio reported.
A commission was set up in 2012 to investigate the Marikana incident.
The directorate’s spokesman Robbie Raburabu told ENCA television news: “The allegations are that the (required) information was not provided to the commission” by Phiyega.
Reuters was not immediately able to contact Phiyega for comment.
