On the day the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption’s (Idac’s) plea deal with alleged tender corruption kingpin Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala collapsed, its investigator visited a close associate of deputy national commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya in prison. The Madlanga commission of inquiry said late on Tuesday that Sgt Fannie Nkosi, who is close to Sibiya, filed a complaint against the directorate, claiming he was visited by Idac investigator Suneel Bellochun on July 13. In the complaint, Nkosi alleged Bellochun asked him about any corrupt relationship Matlala had with national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola and police crime intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo. “I told him I knew nothing about any corrupt relationships and I only knew Matlala has close ties with Lt-Gen Sibiya and Maj-Gen [Feroz] Khan, but he told me he never asked me about Sibiya and Khan,” Nkosi’s letter reads.Nkosi previously testified at the commission that Masemola had met Matlala at his office. “Matlala would tell me, ‘I am coming to the office, but I am not coming to Sgqoko [Sibiya]. I am coming to the national commissioner’, that is Gen Fannie Masemola, or ‘I am coming to [police organised crime investigations boss] Gen [Richard] Shibiri’, or ‘I am coming to Gen Fannie’,” Nkosi said. “That is how I learnt Matlala has access to most of the generals in head office, other than Gen Sibiya.”Masemola has previously told Business Day the claim is false. Nkosi described the visit from the directorate, without his legal representatives present, as intimidation. He alleged Bellochun wanted information from him about having access to Matlala’s bank card. “Bellochun further informed me I must not give him a nonsensical explanation about Matlala’s FNB bank card being left in the Jetski boat because Matlala had given him a clear explanation of how I got hold of his FNB bank card,” Nkosi said. “I then informed Bellochun that I wanted to be interviewed in the presence of my legal representative and I requested that he be contacted, but they refused. Bellochun further informed me the interview would continue with or without my legal representative Katlego Maleho.” Departing Idac head advocate Andrea Johnson was asked what she thought about the alleged prison visit to Nkosi as the directorate faces allegations that it actively participated in a “well-co-ordinated attack against” Khumalo and Masemola. Nkosi is in prison. He was arrested in April after being found in possession of police dockets at his home.Until Mr Bellochun gives us an explanation, on the face of it it looks like he went about searching to find some dirt that could be used against Masemola and Khumalo when there is no foundation in his investigations. That is what it looks like— Commissioner Sesi Baloyi“If the allegations are in fact true, then they are serious, and if they are serious, they would have to be dealt with. One would have to understand what created this urgent situation and why it was dealt with in the manner it was,” she said. Johnson said the directorate has a practice to arrange with a legal representative to see an accused in prison. Commissioner Sesi Baloyi said: “Until Mr Bellochun gives us an explanation, on the face of it it looks like he went about searching to find some dirt that could be used against Masemola and Khumalo when there is no foundation in his investigations. That is what it looks like.” Idac has been investigating the corruption case of a R228m tender awarded to Matlala. Masemola faces charges of breaching the Public Finance Management Act in the case. Khumalo has not been linked or charged in the case.Johnson will continue to testify before the Madlanga commission on Wednesday. Business Day