Charges provisionally withdrawn against Dramat and Sibiya

The state on Monday provisionally withdrew all criminal charges in the renditions case against former Hawks national head Anwa Dramat and former Hawks head in Gauteng General Shadrack Sibiya.

However‚ the case against their co-accused‚ Lesley Maluleke‚ continues.

The three faced charges relating to allegations that while Dramat was head of the Hawks‚ he‚ Sibiya and Maluleke unlawfully handed over Zimbabwean fugitives to Zimbabwean police after they were arrested by the Hawks in 2010.

This case ultimately led to the resignation of Dramat as head of the Hawks. Sibiya also left the unit.

The case affected Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) head Robert McBride‚ who found that Dramat and Sibiya had not been involved in the illegal renditions.

Former police minister Nathi Nhleko suspended McBride in March 2015 over allegations that he had covered up Sibiya and Dramat’s alleged involvement in the unlawful renditions of four Zimbabweans.

The prosecution indicated to the High Court in Pretoria on Monday that it had decided to provisionally withdraw all charges against Sibiya and Dramat after receiving representations from their legal teams.

The provisional withdrawal means the state can reinstate the charges at any stage.

The prosecution said it was ready to proceed with the case against Maluleke. However‚ Maluleke was not ready to proceed because his attorney has withdrawn from the case.

He had also asked to make representations and get further particulars from the state.

Maluleke will appear in court again on November 12.

After the case was postponed‚ Sibiya said he could not say he was excited because he had expected the matter to be heard and to be given a chance to have his say.

“We were charged in false evidence‚ which is still there. I would have loved if at least the prosecutor had withdrawn the charges permanently because we were not involved in renditions‚" he said.

Dramat declined to comment on the provisional withdrawal of the charges against him.

Ipid spokesman Moses Dlamini said the directorate had recommended to the National Prosecuting Authority as early as 2015 that there was no case against Dramat and Sibiya.