IDAC provisionally withdraws Phahlane contract case

The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption has provisionally withdrawn corruption, fraud, theft and money-laundering charges against former acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane and his co-accused, saying it will review aspects of the case before deciding whether to return it to court. The case concerns a 2016 South African Police Service contract to supply emergency warning equipment, commonly described as blue lights. The contract was valued at just over R191 million. IDAC said about R65 million was paid to the supplier, Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement, and investigators stopped a further payment of R22 million. IDAC said acting investigating director Ntuthuzelo Vanara would consider aspects of the matter before possible reenrolment. The directorate did not give a timetable. It said the charges’ provisional withdrawal did not mean the case had been abandoned and that an earlier review panel found the matter properly authorised and within IDAC’s mandate. The charges therefore remain unresolved; the withdrawal is not a decision on the merits. Phahlane is among a group of former and serving police officials and civilians accused in the case.