Corruption charges dropped against South Africa's police intelligence boss

South African prosecutors have withdrawn fraud and corruption charges brought against criminal intelligence chief Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo and six other police officers.

He and his colleagues were arrested in June 2025 over the allegedly unlawful appointment of a civilian to a key post within the intelligence unit. They denied the charges and were not suspended.

The case against them was now been formally dropped at a court in the capital, Pretoria, after a review last month by the country's chief prosecutor.

South Africa's police force has long been plagued by issues of political interference, alleged corruption and a seeming inability to effectively tackle high levels of crime.

A major judicial inquiry into alleged police corruption, known as the Madlanga Commission, is currently under way.

It was established last year by President Cyril Ramaphosa after a senior police officer alleged that organised crime groups had infiltrated the government.

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Speaking outside court in Pretoria after the withdrawal of the charges, Gen Khumalo expressed relief that the "truth at least is out".