Cape Town – Former national police commissioner Khehla Sitole, along with his deputies Jacob Tsumane and Francinah Vuma, are reportedly facing criminal charges for their alleged involvement in a failed plan to spend R45 million on communication surveillance devices during the ANC’s elective conference in 2017.
According to City Press, the three are also accused of obstructing justice by not declassifying documents relating to the same procurement, which is being investigated by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).
The Pretoria High Court ruled that they breached their duties by not cooperating with the police watchdog.
Ipid head Jennifer Ntlatseng sent a letter to the accused, requesting their presence for an interview and the submission of relevant documents, the report said.
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However, they refused to provide warning statements and did not show up at the Ipid headquarters.
The investigation centres around allegations of fraud and corruption involving a company called Braiware (I-View) and the inflated cost of the surveillance devices, which was suspected to secure votes for a particular candidate during the ANC conference.
The affidavit also implicates Sitole, claiming he may have agreed to the purchase in exchange for his appointment as national commissioner.
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday axed Sitole in February 2022, saying that his dismissal was “by mutual agreement” and in the “best interests of the country”.
Sitole’s dismissal came in the aftermath of riots last July that left more than 350 dead, the worst unrest since the end of apartheid.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
