SANDF intelligence general accused of paying R50 000 bribe to make criminal case disappear

Brigadier General Johannes Prince Mkhabela, 53, attached to the Intelligence Division of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), appeared before the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on 20 February 2026 alongside two co-accused: his secretary, Joshua Thembi Hlungwani, 41, and his legal representative, Athinandavha Mannik Mulaudzi, 39. Hlungwani and Mulaudzi were granted bail of R5 000 each, subject to conditions that prohibit them from interfering with the investigation or contacting state witnesses, including the investigating officer, and requiring them to surrender their passports. The alleged scheme began on 7 February 2026, while an investigating officer was actively probing a separate case of intimidation against Mkhabela.

According to the NPA, Hlungwani reached out to that officer on Mkhabela’s behalf. “Hlungwani contacted the investigating officer and conveyed that Mkhabela was offering to pay R1.5 million to ensure that the case did not proceed to court,” Mahanjana said. Two days later, on 9 February, Mulaudzi, Mkhabela’s own attorney, allegedly contacted the same investigating officer, this time asking how much money it would take to have the case withdrawn entirely.

The alleged bribery escalated further when Mkhabela himself met with the investigating officer on 13 February. Mahanjana confirmed that during that encounter, the brigadier general allegedly handed over money directly. “He allegedly paid the officer R50 000 as a deposit and undertook to pay the outstanding balance by September 2026 in exchange for the destruction of the case docket against him,” she said.