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Justice minister Mmamoloko Kubayi on Thursday announced the suspension of three senior Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) employees, all close allies of former head Andrea Johnson.Chief investigator Dylan Perumal, tasked with a controversial corruption investigation against police crime intelligence top cops, and senior investigators Suneel Bellochun and Brian Padayachee were suspended pending disciplinary action, Kubayi told a press briefing.The minister made the decision as the Madlanga commission heard damning evidence from prosecutor Drushantha Ramsamy that Johnson and Perumal used powerful tools of the institution in an “orchestrated attack” against national commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola and crime intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo. “Disciplinary processes for employees within the purview of the NDPP who have been found wanting at Idac have commenced. Mr Brian Padayachee and Suneel Bellochun have already been suspended pending disciplinary proceedings against them,” she said. Perumal faces a damning allegation of submitting a statement in court from MP Fadiel Adams, who triggered the corruption case against top cops, that could have been “fabricated”. Bellochun faces an allegation of interviewing police officer Fannie Nkosi, without a lawyer, in prison seeking “dirt” linking Khumalo and Masemola to the R228m tender scandal when the directorate’s plea deal with Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala collapsed in June. While Johnson resigned earlier this week after making numerous concessions on the witness stand, leaving the institution leaderless, Kubayi said an acting head of the directorate will be announced by next week. “We are cautious [to appoint an acting head]. The act does allow for the minister to appoint an acting head. I have requested vetting in light of the difficulties. We are hoping by next week we will have an acting head,” Kubayi said. Though Matthew Sesoko, head of investigations and operations of Idac, is likely to be part of the list as he holds a top position, Johnson often linked him to most of her decisions in her appearance before the Madlanga commission this week. However, she testified he was not part of the controversial decision to investigate a “poor” referral of corruption against Khumalo. Kubayi said the NPA has commenced a process aimed at facilitating a comprehensive reset of Idac, aimed at rebranding and “repositioning the directorate to enhance its effectiveness and strengthen its institutional identity”.At the same briefing, NPA head advocate Andy Mothibi said the criminal case against Masemola is under review. Masemola was placed on suspension after he was charged for breaching the Public Finances Management Act.He was criminally charged under the guise that he delayed acting on an audit report that flagged irregularities in the R228m tender awarded to Matlala’s company, Medicare24. Evidence before the Madlanga commission suggested he acted within two weeks. Johnson in her testimony conceded several times that her organisation had acted outside its legal mandate in controversial investigations of police crime intelligence management. Kubayi said there is a need for a policy review of the National Prosecuting Authority Act.Though the directorate, established by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2024 to investigate serious crimes, faces credibility issues, Kubayi said disbandment of the directorate is not on the cards. “We think these calls are without foundation and therefore cannot be supported. Those who are making these calls must disabuse themselves of the tendency to reduce institutions to individuals,” she said. “We cannot get rid of the whole organisation because of a few rotten apples.“What has also come to light is that there are individuals who deliberately deviated from established norms and standards and … from written standard operating procedures to achieve their own ends within Idac.” All employees of the directorate will undergo lifestyle audits as a matter of urgency, Kubayi added. Business Day
