Madlanga Commission to lay criminal charges against Firoz Khan over subpoena

The Madlanga Commission has directed its secretary, Dr Nolitha Vukuza, to lay criminal charges against Major General Firoz Khan for failing to appear before the commission despite being subpoenaed to testify.

Khan, the suspended deputy head of Crime Intelligence, was scheduled to testify virtually after earlier delays following a shooting incident in June.

The commission rejected a last-minute request to postpone Khan’s testimony and maintained that arrangements had been made to accommodate his medical circumstances.

An independent medical assessment had reportedly cleared Khan to participate remotely in shorter, “bite-sized” sessions.

However, Khan did not appear before the commission, prompting a strong response from the chairperson.

The commission said Khan’s failure to attend amounted to a “flagrant disregard” of its subpoena.

Madlanga also expressed concern over Khan’s legal representatives being associated with the decision not to comply with the subpoena.

The commission further raised concern about the involvement of lawyer Valley, saying it was troubling that he had associated himself with what the commission regarded as a disregard for its subpoenas.

The latest development comes as the commission continues hearing evidence relating to allegations of corruption, irregular tenders and interference within the police service.

Evidence leaders have also highlighted a substantial 6 000-page WhatsApp bundle among the material gathered for the inquiry.

The commission is continuing with its proceedings in Pretoria as it investigates allegations surrounding policing, criminal networks and possible interference within law-enforcement structures.