Voting delays Khomotso Phahlane's R54m fraud trial

The R54 million fraud and corruption trial against former acting national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane and five co-accused has been postponed to Monday, November 9.

This was to allow the conclusion of the Local Government Elections and give the accused residing outside Gauteng an opportunity to vote.

The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) spokesperson Henry Mamothame confirmed the postponement in a statement on Tuesday 3 November.

Phahlane and his five co-accused were arrested in September 2022 following a series of raids conducted in Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Gqeberha. Phahlane was arrested at his home at Sable Hills Estate in Pretoria.

The six accused appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on September 21, 2022, where they were granted bail. Phahlane was released on R50 000 bail, while the other accused were granted bail ranging from R5 000 to R20 000.

Phahlane, Lieutenant-Colonel Godfrey Mahwayi, Major-General Maanda Obert Nemutandzhela, Major-General Mankosana Agnes Makhele and businessmen Inbanathan Kistiah and Avendra Naidoo face charges of fraud, corruption, theft and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

The charges relate to two contracts valued at approximately R54 million.

One of the contracts concerns the alleged irregular procurement of software known as RIPJAR, which was intended for use during the October 2015 #FeesMustFall student protests.

The second contract relates to the alleged irregular procurement of communication-encryption software known as Daedalus.

The software was allegedly used to encrypt telephone calls and wipe cellphone records and messages while Phahlane was under investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) over the so-called Blue Lights police tender and other alleged irregular procurement matters during his tenure as acting national police commissioner.