Johnson ‘warned about lack of evidence in Gen Khumalo case but did not withdraw’

Two months after the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) arrested top police crime intelligence generals in a controversial corruption case, deputy director of public prosecutions Peter Serunye warned of a lack of evidence in the case. Serunye testified at the Madlanga commission investigating allegations that the directorate, under Adv Andrea Johnson’s leadership, abused its power by prosecuting crime intelligence generals. Police crime intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo and other generals were accused of hiring an “unqualified civilian”, Brig Dineo Mokwele, in a key engineering-related position in the unit.

Evidence presented to the commission showed she was more than qualified for the position. Serunye provided evidence before the Madlanga commission showing he sent a letter to Johnson’s secretary in August 2025, two months after the officers’ arrests, flagging a lack of evidence to substantiate the corruption charge. He also questioned the basis of the “rushed” arrest.

“Having read the docket on 16 August 2025, I was not satisfied that the corruption charge was sustainable on the available evidence and current formulation of the charge sheet, and I said so in writing at the time,” he said. Serunye said in the letter sent to Johnson’s office and investigators he questioned why the accused had been charged with corruption and what evidence in the docket proved corruption, as he could not pinpoint that. “The arrest was rushed,” Serunye told the commission, adding that the allegations against the senior officials were serious.

[paywall]

“The questions I raised remained unanswered on the material in the docket. It demonstrated that the arrests had been premature,” he said. “The nature of the unanswered questions demonstrated that the preliminary investigation had not been properly conducted; alternatively, that there was no case.”

[/paywall]