Former top cop Phahlane and Crime Intelligence generals get bail in R54m tender corruption case

Six high ranking police officials, including two current serving major generals and a former police commissioner, have been released on bail after being arrested in connection with a R54 million police tender from 2016.

Former National Police Commissioner Khomotso Phahlane, Lieutenant-Colonel Godfrey Mahwayi, Major-General Maanda Obert Nemutanzhela, Major-General Mankosana Agnes Makhele, and businessmen Inbanathan Kistiah and Avendra Naidoo appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday.

Charges

The Investigative Directorate (ID) swooped on the suspects in a series of raids earlier this week in connection with a 2016 police tender of more than R54 million. The tender was for a social media monitoring tool that would encrypt phone calls and spy on students’ social media activity during the #FeesMustFall protests.

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The suspects face charges of fraud, corruption, theft, and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), pertaining to two police tenders issued in 2016, with a total value of over R54 million.

The tenders were awarded to Brainwave Projects CC t/a I-View Integrated Systems, which has also been indicted.

Bail

ID spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said the matter will return to court on 7 December 2022.

“The accused were released on bail of R5 000, R10 000, R50 000 and three of the accused were released on R20 000 bail each.”

Investigating Director Advocate Andrea Johnson said the arrest of these high ranking police officials “endorses the ID’s commitment to dealing with corruption and state capture regardless of where it manifests itself”.

“It is also dealing with the lack of accountability, which to date has undermined the legitimacy of the law and shows that the wheels of justice are turning and impunity is no longer a given.”

NPA seizes assets

Last month, the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) seized the assets of former high ranking Saps officials, Phahlane and Deliwe De Lange, over the R191 million blue lights corruption case.

Phahlane and De Lange are accused of corruptly awarding a contract to a service provider – Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement – to supply and fit blue lights and sirens to Gauteng police vehicles in 2017.

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