IDAC head quashes noise surrounding Khumalo's arrest, citing 'no witch-hunt'

The head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), Andrea Johnson, doesn't understand all the noise around the arrest of Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo.

On Thursday, Johnson told Parliament's ad hoc committee investigating police corruption that Khumalo’s arrest was justified because fighting corruption and dishonesty is part of their mandate.

She said Khumalo and his six co-accused misrepresented the qualifications of 30-year-old Dineo Mokwele, who was appointed to an executive position within crime intelligence despite having no policing experience.

Johnson defended Khumalo’s arrest when members of the committee pressed her.

She said Khumalo and the National Police Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, could have been arrested as early as 2022 in connection with a separate Independent Police Investigatove Directorate (IPID) investigation but there was not enough evidence.

She said Khumalo's arrest this year is only controversial because it involves him and no other officials.

“The only reason that there's brouhaha is because general Khumalo was arrested. I can almost guarantee if his co-accused were arrested and not him, there would have been no questions asked.”

She also said there's not witch-hunt against anyone.

“There's also no witch-hunt against lieutenant General Khumalo because there were no matters brought to IDAC prior.”

Johnson also dismissed Mkhwanazi’s claim that Khumalo’s arrest by IDAC investigators was “dramatic”, saying it went smoothly.

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