Four high-ranking SAPS top officials to appear in court for R54m tender scandal

Former SA Police Service bigwigs are expected to appear before the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court in Gauteng province, this morning for the alleged R54-million corruption scandal.

This follows a sting operation by the Investigating Directorate (ID) on Monday and yesterday, where four senior police officers who served as the major generals and head of crime intelligence together with their two associates, who are businessmen were arrested for their involvement in the fraudulent tender in 2016.

ID spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka, said the suspects were found in Bloemfontein, Durban and Pretoria, while others were arrested as they were boarding domestic flights from OR Tambo International Airport to Cape Town and Durban.

Seboka said the investigation focused on a state capture-era procurement scandal, in which the cop spook division manipulated the system to obtain R54-million worth of social media monitoring equipment and phone encryption software.

“The R33-million purchase of a social media monitoring tool called RIPJAR began in December 2016, using emergency procurement prescripts, with the tool urgently needed to address Fees Must Fall university protests,” detailed Seboka.

Former top cop Khehla Sitole was plagued by this scandal during his term of the office, which he led to his dismissal.

The ID said Sitole refused to release essential information that the ID needed to wrap up its investigations.

Among the arrested suspects, includes former head of Crime Intelligence (CI) in the Free State major general Agnes Makhele, who was arrested in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, September 20.

The other suspects arrested are acting head of the CI secret fund, major-general Obed Nemutanzhela and Colonel Godfrey Mahwayi.