Khomotso Phahlane has been fired – report

Former acting national SAPS commissioner Khomotso Phahlane has reportedly been fired after being on suspension on misconduct charges since 2017, reports eNCA.

Phahlane was arrested last year following an Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) investigation that revealed alleged procurement irregularities relating to emergency (blue) lights amounting to more than R86 million.

Phahlane and other senior police staff allegedly acted improperly in the awarding of a 2016 tender that went to Instrumentation Traffic Law Enforcement.

In 2017 an Ipid raid on several properties, including Phahlane’s personal property, was believed to have yielded some evidence in cases of money laundering and corruption against Phahlane. However, little seemed to come of that in the short term.

At the time, Phahlane said: “They were there looking for any transactions relating to computers and contracts… they have found none of that.”

Also read: ‘Blue lights fraud’ case involving SAPS bigwigs to be heard in November

Phahlane said he was glad the raid happened and he encouraged the investigation to continue so that his name could be cleared.

Phahlane has previously faced corruption charges, among other things, along with his wife, related to their allegedly accepting “gratifications, discounts and motor vehicles” from a car dealership owner.

In November 2018 those charges were provisionally withdrawn in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

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