Photo Credit: Government of South Africa

NNA News - The NPA’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) has been accused of pursuing an “agenda” after SAPS Crime Intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo, SAPS General Nosipho Madondo, and KwaZulu-Natal Commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi reported for an arrest at Brooklyn Police Station in Pretoria on Thursday, only to be instructed not to attend. 

According to their legal representatives, the three senior police officers arrived with their overnight bags after IDAC contacted them at about 1pm and gave them a 48-hour ultimatum to surrender for arrest and detention, according to Khumalo’s attorney, James Ndebele. "My clients were instructed to bring overnight bags because they were expected to spend the night in custody,” Ndebele told journalists outside the police station building.

However, he added that when they arrived, they received what he described as "a last-minute call" instructing them not to proceed. “Upon arrival at the police station, they received a phone call from a person who said he is a chief investigator of IDAC, who advised them that they should not be in attendance at the police station today. This is because the IDAC officials were instructed by their director not to execute the arrest today, as this instruction came from senior management,” Ndebele explained.

The gate of the Brooklyn Police Station in Pretoria on Thursday evening, where uncertainty surrounded the anticipated arrest of senior police officials after they were reportedly instructed not to report despite earlier surrender notices. Photo: Luyanda Canca/NNA News

He further stated that Khumalo and Madondo are still unaware of the allegations against them, further describing the entire situation as both costly and humiliating.“It is embarrassing that my clients get to incur legal expenses. It was a waste for them to appear at the police station only because IDAC was absent,” he added, saying that IDAC was “playing games” and had an “agenda” against Khumalo.

Mkhwanazi, who was also present at the Brooklyn police station, confirmed that his intelligence suggested that an arrest warrant had been issued for him and Khumalo. However, he questioned why they were not executed. "We are not saying we are immune from being investigated. If there are things we did wrong, then by all means. But if there’s a warrant of arrest, arrest the person,” he detailed. "I wanted to witness what was unfolding here today. Just yesterday, we received intelligence indicating that IDAC had given us 48 hours to report to the police station.”

IDAC spokesperson Henry Mamothames told the media, "We wish to set the record straight: General Khumalo and no one else from Crime Intelligence has been arrested." By Thursday evening, IDAC had still not clarified what it was investigating or whether the handover would be rescheduled.