Following the 'Guilty' verdict and subsequent sentence of 4 years imprisonment of Commander Ali Dizaei the parties involved in the investigation have been quick to issue statements explaining their respective positions.
MPS Commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, said "Commander Ali Dizaei has been a police officer for nearly 25 years. It is extremely disappointing and concerning that this very senior officer has been found guilty of abusing his position and power.
The public expect the police to treat them fairly and honestly and we are resolved to tackle corruption at every opportunity. He has breached that trust and damaged not only his own reputation but that of the entire police service. I am proud of the officers who gave evidence in this case and supported the IPCC investigation.
Bearing in mind his rank and disgraceful behaviour he should not be surprised at the severity of his sentence."
A Metropolitan Police Authority spokesperson said "The MPA has a statutory duty to consider all complaints and allegations of misconduct against senior MPS officers and takes this responsibility very seriously. The MPA’s Professional Standards Cases Sub-committee (PSCSC) considers all cases in full accordance with the Police Reform Act 2002 and associated Regulations.
Following consideration of a complaint by a member of the public against Commander Ali Dizaei, the PSCSC referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
The IPCC determined to conduct an independent investigation. Having investigated the complaint the IPCC then referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). In May 2009, the CPS advised the IPCC that there was sufficient evidence to charge Commander Dizaei with misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice in relation to events that took place on Friday 18 July 2008.
The trial concerning these charges has now concluded and found Commander Dizaei guilty on both charges.
At this time the matter remains an IPCC independent investigation. Therefore, the MPA is not in a position to comment further.
In due course the IPCC will refer it back to the MPA, at which time the PSCSC will consider what action (if any) is required.
The PSCSC continues, in line with its statutory duty, to review the decision previously taken to suspend Commander Dizaei."
Nick Hardwick, Chair of the IPCC said "When Mr Al Baghdadi tried to get Commander Dizaei to pay him the money he owed him, Dizaei assaulted and then arrested him. He went on to lie about what had happened and, if he had been successful, Mr Al Baghdadi may have been sent to prison.
Dizaei behaved like a bully and the only way to deal with bullies is to stand up to them. Mr Al Baghdadi has shown tremendous strength of character throughout this case – from the moment he was confronted by Ali Dizaei, throughout our investigation, and finally when giving evidence at court. We are grateful for the confidence he placed in the IPCC and, as a result of that, justice has been done today.
The greatest threat to the reputation of the police service is criminals in uniform like Dizaei. Corruption comes in many forms and remains a threat to the police service. It requires constant vigilance to fight it. Integrity must not be negotiable. I think the public will now be looking to police leadership for reassurance that they will not allow political and financial pressures to prevent them from robustly tackling corruption.
The behaviour of Dizaei contrasts with that of the Met officers who spoke out and gave evidence in court against him. This verdict should send a message to any other corrupt officer that nobody is untouchable but I hope it will strengthen the resolve of all those decent officers whose responsibilities require them to combat or speak out against corruption.
I want to say thank you to the team of IPCC investigators who have worked incredibly hard on this case. They have shown a professionalism and determination in gathering all the available evidence which stood up to intense scrutiny over the last few weeks. They deserve our thanks and praise.”
Article courtesy of www.policeoracle.com
