Corruption case against former acting police commissioner moved to high court

The Pretoria specialised commercial crimes court on Monday transferred the fraud and corruption case against former acting police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane and his co-accused to the Pretoria high court for pretrial conferencing on October 21.

Phahlane, Lt-Col Godfrey Mahwayi, Maj-Gen Maanda Obert Nemutandzhela, Maj-Gen 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 relating to two contracts valued at about R54m. 

One contract relates to the alleged irregular emergency procurement of software called RIPJAR, which was intended to collect and monitor information from social media platforms on the instigators of the #FeesMustFall student protests.

However, these “emergency” response measures came about in December 2016, more than a year after the October 2015 student protests.

Investigating Directorate Against Corruption spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the other alleged irregular contract related to the procurement of communication encryption software called Daedalus. 

Mamothame said this software was allegedly solely used for encrypting calls and wiping out cellphone records and messages at the time Phahlane was under investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate for the “Blue Lights” police tender and other irregular procurement when he was acting police commissioner.

All the accused are out on bail. 

 TimesLIVE