The Chief Constable of the PSNI has said the investigation into the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr will continue to be absolutely impartial and completely free of political influence.
In a statement, Matt Baggott said that the investigation was ‘complex and (would) take considerable time to complete’.
‘It is being conducted under the law and future charges remain the responsibility of the independent Public Prosecution Service,’ said Mr Baggott.
‘My assurance is that the investigation will remain methodical and relentless and will continue to be absolutely impartial and completely free of political influence.
Mr Baggott’s statement comes following criticism of the investigation by the North’s Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness.
Mr McGuinness said it would not help bring Constable Kerr's killers to justice, and criticised the arrest of a 22-year-old man.
He said there was no way the individual in question could have been involved in Constable Kerr's murder and added that the arrest cast doubt on the quality of the investigation.
In a statement yesterday, Mr McGuinness said: 'I know the family of the young man arrested yesterday in Coalisland. It was claimed by the PSNI that the arrest and search operation at his family home was in connection with the murder of Ronan Kerr'.
'The young man who was arrested and subsequently released today was in the USA at the time of that murder and was in no way involved in it,' Mr McGuinness said.
‘I am very satisfied with the professionalism and progress to date and will be reporting on this to the policing board in due course.'
In today’s statement, Mr Baggott said that the policing board was the appropriate place for scrutiny to take place, ‘particularly during a live and sensitive investigation’.
