South Africa’s Crime Intelligence chief, Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo, has denied charges of fraud and corruption after being arrested in a growing scandal engulfing the national police service.
Khumalo was taken into custody on Thursday evening upon arrival at Johannesburg’s main international airport. He appeared in court in Pretoria on Friday alongside six other senior police officials. All seven are accused in an ongoing investigation reportedly involving the abuse of intelligence funds and irregular appointments within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
According to local media, this case marks the second wave of high-level arrests targeting the SAPS Crime Intelligence division in just two weeks. Three other senior officials are already facing similar corruption charges.
The accused, through their legal representative, stated they intend to plead not guilty.
While full details of the charges have not been released, reports suggest serious breaches in handling state intelligence resources. The case has sparked public concern over the integrity of an agency responsible for protecting national security and combating organized crime.
The Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s second-largest political party, welcomed the arrests, calling them a necessary step in restoring public trust: “This points to yet another serious breach of trust within a critical state institution,” the party said.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) echoed the concern, describing Khumalo’s arrest as “not an isolated scandal” but part of a broader crisis: “This is the latest symptom of a sick, and hollowed-out policing system, which urgently requires structural overhaul.”
Lt-Gen Khumalo, who has served in various policing roles for more than 20 years, was appointed head of the Crime Intelligence unit in 2022. His arrest is the latest in a series of corruption cases that have severely damaged the credibility of SAPS leadership.
As the investigation continues, the nation watches closely to see whether this signals a genuine crackdown on corruption within South Africa’s law enforcement ranks.
