Former acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane during his appearance at the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court for fraud and corruption charges on 8 February 2018 in Pretoria. Photo: Gallo Images / Sowetan / Alon Skuy
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has arrested six high ranking officials in the police force – including two current serving major generals and a former police commissioner – in connection to a R54 million police tender from 2016.
According to News24, one of the suspects is former national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane.
The other suspects are acting head of the Crime Intelligence (CI) secret fund, Major-General Obed Nemutanzhela, Colonel Godfrey Mahwayi, head of CI in the Free State Major General Agnes Makhele.
The suspects were nabbed on Monday night and Tuesday morning. They are facing charges of fraud, corruption, and theft.
“The suspects were arrested in Durban, Bloemfontein, and various areas around Pretoria, while two of the suspects were arrested as they were boarding domestic flights from OR Tambo International Airport to Cape Town and Durban, respectively,” said Investigating Directorate (ID) spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka.
The suspects include two businessmen from Durban, a current serving Lieutenant-Colonel and two Majors-General from Pretoria and Bloemfontein.
They are expected to make their first appearance at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday.
READ MORE: PICS: Assets worth R75 million seized from former top cop in ‘blue lights’ corruption case
Former top cop Phahlane has been embroiled in a series of fraud and corruption investigations by the IPID dating back to 2017.
Phahlane served as a top cop from October 2015 to June 2017 before being suspended due to a spate of corruptions allegations against him.
He was sacked after being found guilty of dishonest conduct.
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.
The assets worth over R75 million included 19 immovable properties and 115 vehicles, which included three trucks.
Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe.
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