An Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) investigator accused of attempting to question jailed police sergeant Fannie Nkosi without his lawyers present to persuade him to implicate National Police Commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola has received notice of an intention to suspend him.
The revelation emerged before the Madlanga commission of inquiry on Wednesday during the final day of testimony from former Idac head Adv Andrea Johnson.
Three separate complaints against Bellochun
Evidence leader Adv Mahlape Sello confronted Johnson about three separate complaints against investigator Suneel Bellochun, all of which arose while she was still leading Idac.
Sello reminded Johnson that one complaint dated back to September 2025, when she had undertaken to investigate allegations against Bellochun before Parliament’s ad hoc committee.
“My second is, upon hearing the testimony of Witness N alleging misconduct by investigator Bellochun, did you investigate?” Sello asked.
She then referred to the latest complaint involving Sgt Nkosi, saying it was part of an exhibit file that Johnson had received before leaving office.
“We ventilated the issue of Sgt Nkosi yesterday and by then you had retired, but you received the exhibit file and that complaint was in the exhibit file while you were still investigating the director. Did you investigate any of these matters to determine whether or not action should be taken against investigator Bellochun? And if you did, what did those investigations yield?”
The latest complaint stems from explosive allegations by Nkosi that Bellochun and other Idac investigators visited him while he was in custody and attempted to question him without his legal representatives present. Nkosi alleged they wanted him to implicate Masemola, Crime Intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo and businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala in the high-profile Medicare24 corruption investigation. Those allegations remain disputed and have not been tested by the commission.
Johnson had earlier testified that interviewing a represented suspect without his lawyer would be improper investigative practice, making the allegations particularly serious if proven.
Bellochun’s conduct ‘referred to oversight authority’
Johnson told the commission she had referred Bellochun’s conduct to newly appointed Idac Oversight Judge, retired Judge Takalani Raulinga, who serves as the institution’s independent oversight authority.
She also conceded that Bellochun remains the subject of an active warrant of arrest relating to an assault matter dating back to 2021.
Johnson said the warrant predated her appointment at Idac and that she had been provided with a letter from a Pretoria deputy director of public prosecutions indicating the matter had been withdrawn.
However, Sello pointed out that the warrant itself remained active.
“You earlier testified what a cancelled warrant looks like. The warrant remains active,” Sello said.
Johnson agreed.
“That is really the issue, that he continues to be in office, investigating and arresting other people when he himself is under an active warrant,” Sello added.
Johnson said she questioned Bellochun about the warrant between June and July this year.
“He told me he followed up with the police in Pretoria and was told that the docket is closed and marked undetected,” she said.
She maintained that the South African Police Service would ultimately have to regularise the warrant if the case had indeed been closed.
Witness N implicated Bellochun
The commission also revisited allegations made by the protected PKTT member Witness N, who previously accused Bellochun of serious misconduct after receiving complaints from foreign business owners when testifying at the Madlanga commission.
Witness N testified that Pakistani shopkeepers alleged Bellochun extorted money from undocumented traders by exploiting their fear of deportation. She also told the commission one complainant questioned how Bellochun could investigate corruption while allegedly having an outstanding warrant for assault. Those allegations also remain untested.
Johnson said Witness N’s evidence prompted her to immediately escalate the matter.
“Witness N’s testimony was quite harrowing, to say the least. After that evidence, I wrote the letter to the National Director wherein I indicated that the witness has testified, and that through the office of the National Director the matter be escalated to the Idac judge,” she said.
“I did this a little more than a week ago when it came out. I’m given to understand that Mr Bellochun received a notice yesterday indicating an intention for him to be suspended. I would assume it comes only out of that matter because it was the first matter I had escalated to the Idac judge.”
Asked specifically about the Nkosi complaint, Johnson admitted she had taken no formal action before leaving office.
“I did say to Mr Bellochun that there are allegations against him by Sergeant Nkosi and that the allegations are serious. He has a version, but that version again would have to be dealt with through the channels of the Idac judge,” she said.
The commission has made no findings on any of the allegations against Bellochun, and the matters are expected to be considered by the Idac Oversight Judge.
- Idac investigator Suneel Bellochun faces allegations of attempting to question jailed Sgt Fannie Nkosi without legal counsel to implicate senior officials in a corruption probe.
- Three complaints against Bellochun, including misconduct and an active 2021 assault warrant, were revealed during testimony by former Idac head Adv Andrea Johnson at the Madlanga commission.
- Johnson confirmed referring Bellochun's conduct to Idac Oversight Judge Takalani Raulinga and noted a notice of intent to suspend him was recently issued.
- Witness N accused Bellochun of extorting foreign traders and questioned his ability to investigate corruption while subject to an active warrant.
- The commission has not ruled on allegations; investigations and oversight by the Idac judge are ongoing.
An
Evidence leader Adv
Sello reminded Johnson that one complaint dated back to
"My second is, upon hearing the testimony of Witness N alleging misconduct by investigator Bellochun, did you investigate?" Sello asked.
"We ventilated the issue of Sgt
Johnson had earlier testified that interviewing a represented suspect without his lawyer would be improper investigative practice, making the allegations particularly serious if proven.
Johnson told the commission she had referred Bellochun's conduct to newly appointed Idac Oversight Judge, retired Judge Takalani
Johnson said the warrant predated her appointment at Idac and that she had been provided with a letter from a Pretoria deputy director of public prosecutions indicating the matter had been withdrawn.
However, Sello pointed out that the warrant itself remained active.
"You earlier testified what a cancelled warrant looks like.
Johnson agreed.
"
Johnson said she questioned Bellochun about the warrant between June and July this year.
"He told me he followed up with the police in Pretoria and was told that the docket is closed and marked undetected," she said.
Witness N testified that Pakistani shopkeepers alleged Bellochun extorted money from undocumented traders by exploiting their fear of deportation.
Johnson said Witness N's evidence prompted her to immediately escalate the matter.
"Witness N's testimony was quite harrowing, to say the least. After that evidence, I wrote the letter to the National Director wherein I indicated that the witness has testified, and that through the office of the National Director the matter be escalated to the Idac judge," she said.
"I did this a little more than a week ago when it came out. I'm given to understand that Mr Bellochun received a notice yesterday indicating an intention for him to be suspended. I would assume it comes only out of that matter because it was the first matter I had escalated to the Idac judge."
Asked specifically about the
"I did say to Mr Bellochun that there are allegations against him by Sergeant
