Ireland Blocks Entry of Apartheid-Era Police Chief “Prime Evil” in 1994
Newly declassified Irish government documents shed light on a pivotal moment in 1994: the refusal of entry to colonel Eugene Alexander de Kock, the infamous apartheid-era South African police chief known as “Prime Evil.” Fears that de Kock intended to settle permanently in Ireland to escape prosecution for his crimes prompted the Irish government to take decisive action.
De Kock, head of the South African Police’s notorious counterinsurgency unit C10, was implicated in numerous assassinations and acts of violence against opponents of the apartheid regime. His actions were later condemned by a South African tribunal investigating crimes committed by the white minority government’s security forces.
The newly released archives, part of a yearly declassification process in dublin, Belfast, and London, offer a glimpse into the international ramifications of the end of apartheid.These 1994 documents reveal the concerns of Irish officials regarding de Kock’s potential presence in the country.
De Kock’s wife and children had already sought and received political asylum in Ireland in 1994. An April 26th, 1994, memo from then-Minister for Justice Maire Geoghegan-Quinn to Taoiseach Albert Reynolds detailed the rationale behind an exclusion order issued under Section 5 of the 1935 Aliens Act. The memo stated,”The Garda authorities informed me recently that they have good grounds to believe that Col de Kock may intend to enter Ireland for the purpose of residence.”
The memo further explained the gravity of the situation, noting, “Col de Kock, I am informed, was recently given early retirement from his post following serious criticism by the Goldstone Commission which was established to investigate serious allegations of criminal political violence by elements within the South African Police and within political parties.” The memo also highlighted that de Kock had already been barred from entry into the United Kingdom, “[He was excluded] on the grounds that the British authorities were satisfied he was involved in terrorist activities.”
The exclusion order effectively prevented de Kock from entering ireland. He was eventually convicted in South Africa in 1996 on six counts of murder, along with multiple counts of conspiracy to murder and other offenses.He served nearly 20 years in prison before his release in 2015.
This revelation underscores the international efforts to bring those responsible for apartheid-era atrocities to justice and highlights the role Ireland played in preventing a potential escape from accountability.