The Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court has transferred the R54-million fraud and corruption case of former acting national police commissioner Lt-Gen Khomotso Phahlane and his co-accused to the Pretoria High Court.
Spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Investigating Directorate Against Corruption, Henry Mamothame, confirmed the matter. He said the case has been transferred to the Pretoria High Court for pretrial conferencing.
Case to be heard on October 21
Mamothame said Phahlane and his co-accused will appear at the Pretoria High Court next month, on October 21.
On trial are Phahlane, Lt-Col Godfrey Mahwayi and Maj-Gen Maanda Obert Nemutandzhela. Also Maj-Gen Mankosana Agnes Makhele, businessmen Inbanathan Kistiah and Avendra Naidoo. They are facing charges of fraud, corruption, theft and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). This relates to two government contracts valued at approximately R54-million.
“The Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crime Court transferred the case against the former acting police commissioner, Khomotso Phahlane and his co-accused to the Pretoria High Court to appear on 21 October 2024 for pretrial conferencing. Lieutenant- General Phahlane, Lieutenant-Colonel Godfrey Mahwayi, Major-General Maanda Obert Nemutandzhela, Major-General Mankosana Agnes Makhele and businessmen Inbanathan Kistiah and Avendra Naidoo are facing charges of fraud, corruption, theft and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) relating to two contracts valued at approximately R54-million,” said Mamothame.
Various irregular procurement processes
“The one contract relates to the irregular procurement of a software called RIPJAR. It was meant to be used during the incidents of October 2015. During …these incidents, university students embarked on the #FeesMustFall protests. The other alleged irregular contract relates to the procurement of a communication encryption software called Daedalus. It was solely used for encrypting calls and wiping out cellphone records and messages. This was at the time when Phahlane was under investigation by IPID. He was probed for the “Blue Lights” police tender and other irregular procurements. These occurred at the time when he was acting police commissioner,” said Mamothame.
He said Phahlane and all the accused are out on bail. They are a expected to be back at the Pretoria High Court on October 21.
