‘Idac is hell-bent to arrest’: Dispute intensifies over Crime Intelligence officials saga
· Citizen
Tensions between the South African Police Service (Saps) and the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) have escalated following a controversial and ultimately aborted attempt to arrest senior Crime Intelligence officials.
Crime Intelligence divisional commissioner Dumisani Khumalo, alongside head of analysis and coordination Nozipho Precious Madondo, was instructed to report to the Brooklyn Police Station in Pretoria on Thursday, 18 June 2026, in connection with allegations of fraud and corruption.
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Despite the directive, Idac did not execute the arrests.
The incident has triggered a formal backlash, with the two officials now accusing the anti-corruption body of possible ulterior motives.
Crime Intelligence officials file formal complaint
In a letter dated 22 June and addressed to Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, the Crime Intelligence officials’ lawyers criticised the handling of the matter.
According to the correspondence, Khumalo and Madondo were never formally informed of the charges against them, nor were standard procedures followed.
It also noted that no reasons were advanced for why the arrest was postponed, “let alone why it was necessary in the first place”.
“Notwithstanding the phone call postponing the arrest, our clients nonetheless spent an hour at Brooklyn Police Station, and no one from Idac arrested and our clients were never attended,” the document reads.
The attorneys also highlighted that a prior request for clarity sent to National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Andy Mothibi and Idac head Andrea Johnson on 19 June had gone unanswered.
“Our clients have reason to believe that Idac is hell-bent to arrest our clients on frivolous charges, all of which [are] intended to derail our clients from performing their lawful duties, the consequences of which are out in the public for all to see,” stated the legal firm.
“The conclusion that these arrest and threats of arrest are a pushback from certain quarters is irresistible.”
Ongoing prosecution
The dispute is rooted in an ongoing fraud and corruption case involving several Saps officials.
Khumalo and Madondo, alongside Crime Intelligence chief financial officer (CFO) Philani Lushaba and Gauteng Crime Intelligence head Josias Lekalakala, are among those charged.
The allegations relate to the allegedly “irregular” appointment of Dineo Mokwele, a former BMW employee with a background in mechatronics, who was appointed as a technical support systems manager at the brigadier level.
Khumalo has previously argued that the matter was a labour-related dispute rather than criminal wrongdoing.
All accused individuals were arrested in June 2025 following a complaint lodged by National Coloured Congress (NCC) leader Fadiel Adams.
Now, Khumalo, Madondo, Lushaba and Lekalakala – who are currently out on bail – have insisted the case lacks merit, and internal Saps findings contradict Idac’s position.
“An internal investigation was done within Saps to establish if there were any impropriety or any irregularities committed by the panel in the entire recruitment process of Brigadier Dineo Mokwele and the finding of the investigation was that there were no irregularities on the side of our clients and Idac is in possession of this report,” the letter said.
The lawyers added: “It becomes glaringly clear that Idac has no prospects of success in proving the charges against our clients, in fact, we take the point further and say that there is no prima facie case against our clients.”
In a move to challenge the case against them, the officials lodged representations with the NDPP last month, requesting a review of the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) decision to prosecute.