Kebble+silence+is+not+golden,+Sunday+Times+Metro



=**Silence is not golden**=

Lack of progress and police feedback in Kebble case described as ‘sinister’ and ‘troubling’

 * ROWAN PHILP**


 * Sunday Times, Johannesburg, 15 January 2006**

FRIENDS of mining magnate Brett Kebble have marked the 100-day point since his murder by speaking out against continued silence on the case from police investigators.

No arrests have been made since Kebble was shot seven times in his car in Melrose, Johannesburg, on September 27. And no comment on the case has been made by the South African Police Service since it said that an autopsy report, exposed by the Sunday Times on November 6, was “central to the investigation”.

This week Sally de Beer, spokesman for national police Commissioner Jackie Selebi, responded to detailed questions by saying: “The SAPS will not divulge details of an ongoing investigation.”

However, Willem Heath, former attorney and a friend to Kebble, warned that public confidence in the SAPS was being undermined because “on the one hand, there is no progress and, on the other hand, no feedback” in the high-profile case.

However, Kebble’s father, Roger Kebble, said: “I’m quite happy with the investigation — it’s going fine.” Richard Smith, the first curator of the Kebble Art Awards, who said he had lost three friends to murder, said that it was “troubling” that no signs of progress had been seen.

“I find it all really very sinister that no one has yet been arrested, and that we’ve heard nothing, really, since the [Sunday Times] story about how some sort of military bullets were used,” said Smith.

The hunt for Kebble’s killer is being headed up by Director Charles Johnson, chief detective for Johannesburg, who has confirmed that he cannot disclose the status of the case.

Heath — who was himself withdrawn from the investigation in October — alleged that the lack of progress was linked to failures by police to preserve evidence in the case, in which civilians had access to both the crime scene and Kebble’s car before forensic experts had completed their work.

“Of course I am extremely disappointed there’s been no progress,” said Heath.

“I imagine that if normal precautions had been taken, it is likely they would have progress. But of course one cannot say whether they would have arrested somebody.”

Heath said the public did not expect 100% success from the police, but warned: “If there’s a particular reason why police should not disclose what the progress is, one can understand that, but generally they should disclose the status. It’s just another example of how the public will lose confidence in the police.”

Sello Rasethaba, another close friend of Kebble, said: “I have no comment.”

The last full police statement on the status of the case was made on October 21, when Superintendent Ronnie Naidoo reacted to claims that precautions had not been taken to preserve evidence at the crime scene.

Naidoo said: “The gathering of evidence is an ongoing process. The search for evidence will continue, even if it means going back to a scene of crime 20 times, and this also includes the recalling of exhibits.”

From: http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/articles/article.aspx?ID=ST6A161581

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