Police Minister Nathi Nhleko has not received a report on a probe conducted into former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli, his office said on Monday.

This follows the Democratic Alliance claim that it was in possession of a letter from the Public Protector confirming that the investigation by the inspector-general on Mdluli was complete and sitting on Nhleko’s desk.

“The minister doesn’t have that report, he never received that report,” his spokesperson Musa Zondi said.

“The minister has asked me to check with the office of the inspector-general and see who was given the report.”

DA MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard had claimed that Nhleko was refusing to make public the findings by the inspector-general.

“This is no doubt in an effort to protect Mr Mdluli from all accountability,” she said. In March 2012, Kohler-Barnard asked Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to investigate allegations of abuse of power by Mdluli and the state of affairs at the crime intelligence unit.

Last week, Madonsela wrote to Kohler-Barnard, informing her that she was closing the report on the investigation.

“The letter states that the inspector-generals office did everything it was supposed to do and submitted the report to the Minister of Police who is predictably doing all in his power to thwart the Public Protector and ensure that this report never sees the light of day,” Kohler-Barnard said.

“Recent conduct makes it crystal clear that this man is so obviously inclined toward political expediency and lacks the fortitude to do his job justly. He must be fired once and for all and Parliament must be the one to recommend it if government wont,” she said.

Mdluli and Colonel Heine Barnard are facing fraud charges in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court.

Earlier this month, the case was postponed till next month.

The two face money laundering, fraud and corruption charges related to misuse of funds belonging to the police. Mdluli was head of the police crime intelligence unit at the time of the crimes. He allegedly appointed relatives and bought two luxury cars. Barnard worked in the same unit. News24