Op Kenova a ‘Rolls Royce’ of a Troubles probe too costly to replicate

The current probe into the activities of the Provisional IRA informant known as Stakeknife is an expensive “Rolls Royce” of an inquiry that could not be replicated for all Troubles victims, according to a former senior RUC officer.
By Mark Rainey
Published 15th Jul 2020, 17:52 BST
Operation Kenova head Jon Boutcher. Photo: Stephen Hamilton/PresseyeOperation Kenova head Jon Boutcher. Photo: Stephen Hamilton/Presseye
Operation Kenova head Jon Boutcher. Photo: Stephen Hamilton/Presseye

Operation Kenova is currently investigating whether the state – through it connection to the well-placed agent within the ranks of the Provos – was involved in the commission of criminal offences including murder and unlawful imprisonment.

During Wednesday’s evidence session of the NI Affairs Committee (NIAC) at Westminster, SDLP MP Claire Hanna asked former RUC assistant chief constable Raymond White if he believed Op Kenova was proving to be a worthwhile exercise.

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The NIAC evidence session had been called to discuss the government’s latest proposals on dealing with the past.

Mr White said: “You can afford something like Kenova for very special investigations, but when you try to roll that out, to embrace the 1,100 case we believe the [PSNI] Legacy Investigation Branch has and the 300 cases that the police ombudsman has, can you afford what Kenova actually is?

“Kenova’s cost is currently running at around £6 million a year. He has 72 officers. Some are retired officers who have been re-employed while others have been seconded from police forces in England and Wales, and that is just to address those cases that Kenova has under its umbrella.

“If you take that and try to replicate it across the board, where to you find the people to populate that and how do you fund it, given the costs that the government will face post Covid-19?.

“Kenova is the Rolls Royce of investigations.”

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Mr White, representing the NI Retired Police Officers’ Association (NIRPOA), added: “The courts have recognised that you can’t just re-investigate a matter simply because a new assertion has been made.

“There has to be an element of credibility or probity behind what is being produced as new evidence, and some adjudication has to be made on whether a case warrants a new investigation”.

Also giving evidence on behalf of the NIRPOA, former ACC Chris Albiston said that, on occasions, “those who are demanding fresh investigations simply don’t like the outcome of the first investigation”.

Mr Albison added that the legacy institutions should not be manipulated for “political point scoring purposes,” and added: “There must be some substantive reason for identifying something that was wrong in the previous one, or where there is new evidence.”

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