Former acting police commissioner in court for fraud, corruption

The Pretoria specialised commercial crimes court on Tuesday postponed the fraud and corruption case of former acting police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane and five others to July 3.  

This is for disclosure and for the case to be transferred to the Pretoria regional court. The court ordered the state to disclose an outstanding document to one of the defence attorneys by May 17. 

Investigating Directorate spokesperson Henry Mamothame said Phahlane, Lt-Col Godfrey Mahwayi, Maj-Gen Maanda Obert Nemutandzhela, Maj-Gen Mankosana Agnes Makhele and businessmen Inbanathan Kistiah and Avendra Naidoo face charges of fraud, corruption, theft and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act relating to two contracts valued at about R54m.  

He said their court appearance emanated from incidents in October 2015 when university students embarked on #FeesMustFall protests.

“It is alleged that on December 21 2016, the police crime intelligence division embarked on an emergency procurement of software tools or systems. One of the software [systems], Ripjar, was intended to collect and monitor information from social media platforms on the instigators of the student protests.”

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

Mamothame said another mobile communication encryption software [system], known as Daedalus, which was solely used for encrypting calls and wiping out cellphone records and messages, was procured through deviation from standard procurement processes.  

The contract was signed on December 22 2016 and payment was made on the same day.

Mamothame said the software was also allegedly used to encrypt voice calls made by police management at the time when Phahlane was under investigation for the “blue lights” police tender and other irregular procurement at the time he was acting police commissioner.  

All the accused are out on bail. 

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