NPA formally withdraws charges against Khumalo, Mokwele and co-accused

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has formally withdrawn fraud and corruption charges against Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo, Brigadier Dineo Mokwele and five other senior police officials.

The charges were linked to allegations that Mokwele was irregularly appointed to head Crime Intelligence's Technical Support Services unit. The group was arrested by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) in June 2025 and had denied wrongdoing.

The decision to withdraw the charges follows revelations at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that raised serious questions about the investigation and the evidence on which the case was based.

The commission heard that IDAC's investigation into the appointment was incomplete and that investigators had relied on limited information when building the case against Khumalo and the other officials. The commission also questioned whether the allegations surrounding Mokwele's qualifications and appointment amounted to criminal conduct.

IDAC investigation under scrutiny

The case became a major focus of the Madlanga Commission, particularly during the testimony of former IDAC head Advocate Andrea Johnson.

Evidence presented to the commission challenged key aspects of the investigation and raised questions about whether IDAC had acted within its mandate.

Johnson conceded during her testimony that she had made errors in assessing aspects of the Khumalo investigation, while investigators also faced questions over the information used to support the allegations against the Crime Intelligence officials.

The commission heard that the investigation was based on what were described as sparse facts, with questions also raised about the process through which information and affidavits were obtained.

These developments fuelled allegations that Khumalo and other Crime Intelligence officials had been unfairly targeted amid longstanding factional battles within the police service. However, those allegations remain matters being examined by the commission and have not been established as findings of fact.

Khumalo's arrest and the wider police factional battle

Khumalo was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on 26 June 2025 in connection with the investigation into Mokwele's appointment. The case emerged against the backdrop of growing tensions within the police service and broader allegations of political interference, corruption and criminal infiltration of law enforcement.

The arrests were also followed by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's explosive July 2025 allegations about criminality and interference within law enforcement. Mkhwanazi had raised concerns about attempts to undermine investigations into serious organised and political crime.

Khumalo himself later became a significant figure at the Madlanga Commission, where he provided evidence concerning alleged criminal networks operating within and around the police service.

NPA decision

NPA National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Andy Mothibi reviewed the case and ordered that the charges be withdrawn after representations by the accused and developments arising from the Madlanga Commission.

The withdrawal had initially been described as provisional, with the NPA indicating that the matter could not be re-enrolled without the NDPP's written approval.

The formal withdrawal means Khumalo, Mokwele and their co-accused will no longer face prosecution on the charges arising from the alleged irregular appointment.

The NPA's decision does not amount to a finding that the allegations were proven false in a trial. The case was withdrawn before the allegations were tested in court, and the accused remain presumed innocent.

The withdrawal is expected to add further significance to the Madlanga Commission's examination of IDAC, particularly its handling of investigations involving senior police officials and whether law-enforcement agencies have been drawn into factional battles within the SAPS.

Former IDAC head Andrea Johnson resigned from her position in July after coming under intense scrutiny during her testimony before the commission. President Cyril Ramaphosa subsequently accepted her resignation.