The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has withdrawn all fraud and corruption charges against Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo and his six co-accused.

Khumalo and members of staff in Crime Intelligence appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 21 August 2026, where the state confirmed that the charges had been withdrawn.

The court accepted the state’s decision to withdraw the charges, with the matter barred from being re-enrolled without the express written approval of the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), Andy Mothibi.

“All the charges against all of you have been withdrawn by the public prosecutor. You are free to go,” the magistrate said.

Khumalo was charged alongside Brigadier Dineo Mokwele, Major-General Philani Lushaba, Major-General Nosipho Precious Madondo, Major-General Josias Lekalakala, Major-General Zwelithini Gabela and Brigadier Phindile Ncube.

Mokwele’s appointment to the rank of brigadier in Crime Intelligence’s Technical Support Services was at the centre of the case.

The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) had alleged that Mokwele was unqualified for the position, lacked the required police experience and her appointment had been irregular.

During testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, former Idac head advocate Andrea Johnson conceded that Mokwele was qualified as an industrial engineer for her technical support role.

The group was arrested in June 2025 and again in June 2026. The state suspended the execution of the recent arrest warrants for some of the officials after determining that they were critical to the security cluster before the 30 June anti-illegal immigration protests.

State advocate Joy Hlatywayo told the court that she had received instructions “from the head office of the NDPP that the state withdraw all charges of corruption and fraud against all seven accused before the court,” Hlatywayo said.

“My instructions are that the state is withdrawing unconditionally,” she said.

The lawyer representing accused number seven, Mokwele, said: “The defence for accused number seven unconditionally accepts and has no objection to the state’s withdrawal of charges,” the lawyer said.