Watch VideoIDAC’s Serunye believes he was ‘set up’ in Dineo Mokwele case | Madlanga Commission

Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) deputy, Advocate Peter Serunye, said he was set up in the criminal case against crime intelligence officers. Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC)deputy head Advocate Peter Serunye,believes that he was “set up” in the questionable probe that led to the arrests of crime intelligence officials, Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo and Brigadier Dineo Mokwele. Testifying at the Madlanga Commission on Tuesday, Serunye said evidence so far had fundamentally changed his understanding of the case, leaving him convinced that he and junior prosecutor Joy Hlatshwayo had been drawn into an investigation they should never have been part of.

“I feel a little bit angry if I think about it. It feels like I was set up… Hlatshwayo as well. I think junior as she was, I don’t think she was supposed to be involved in this case,” Serunye said.

His evidence added another twist to the handling of the crime intelligence probe against Mokwele. Mokwele, Khumalo and several senior police officials were arrested by IDAC on June 26, 2025 on allegations of fraud and corruption linked to Mokwele’s appointment as a brigadier. Serunye described the arrests as shambolic and questionedwhy former IDAC head Advocate Andrea Johnson allocated the Mokwele case to Hlatshwayowithout consulting him, despite the matter falling under his supervision.

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He said he was taken aback that such a sensitive prosecution had been assigned to a junior prosecutor without his knowledge. Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga also questioned the involvement of senior investigator Brian Padayachee, noting that an intelligence-related investigation would ordinarily have fallen under deputy director Advocate Paul Louw. Serunye said Padayachee reported to Louw, who appeared inadequately prepared and insufficiently informed about the matter. He said his role in the investigation effectively ended after the June 27 bail application before he moved on to other cases.

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