Brigadier and two co-accuse, including his lawyer face court in R1.5m corruption case.
Brigadier General Johannes Prince Mkhabela, 53, attached to the Intelligence Division of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), appeared before the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on 20 February 2026 alongside two co-accused: his secretary, Joshua Thembi Hlungwani, 41, and his legal representative, Athinandavha Mannik Mulaudzi, 39.
All three face charges of corruption and defeating the administration of justice.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Regional Spokesperson for the Gauteng Division in Pretoria, Lumka Mahanjana, confirmed that the trio appeared on charges of corruption involving R1.5 million and defeating the administration of justice.
Hlungwani and Mulaudzi were granted bail of R5 000 each, subject to conditions that prohibit them from interfering with the investigation or contacting state witnesses, including the investigating officer, and requiring them to surrender their passports.
Mkhabela’s bail application, however, was contested by the state.
How the alleged bribery unfolded
The alleged scheme began on 7 February 2026, while an investigating officer was actively probing a separate case of intimidation against Mkhabela.
According to the NPA, Hlungwani reached out to that officer on Mkhabela’s behalf.
“Hlungwani contacted the investigating officer and conveyed that Mkhabela was offering to pay R1.5 million to ensure that the case did not proceed to court,” Mahanjana said.
Two days later, on 9 February, Mulaudzi, Mkhabela’s own attorney, allegedly contacted the same investigating officer, this time asking how much money it would take to have the case withdrawn entirely.
The alleged bribery escalated further when Mkhabela himself met with the investigating officer on 13 February.
Mahanjana confirmed that during that encounter, the brigadier general allegedly handed over money directly.
“He allegedly paid the officer R50 000 as a deposit and undertook to pay the outstanding balance by September 2026 in exchange for the destruction of the case docket against him,” she said.
Mkhabela was arrested immediately after members of the Madlanga Commission Task Team allegedly made the payment.
Hlungwani and Mulaudzi were arrested on 19 February 2026, after turning themselves over to police.
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State fighting Mkhabela’s bail
While the state did not oppose bail for the two co-accused, it took a firm stance against releasing Mkhabela.
Prosecutors argued that, given he already has a pending case against him, he is likely to reoffend if released.
Mahanjana outlined the state’s position and concerns.
“The state further submitted that he poses a risk of interfering with or intimidating state witnesses, particularly considering the pending intimidation matter,” she said.
The bail judgment for Mkhabela is expected on 23 February 2026, when the court will rule on whether he poses sufficient risk to warrant continued detention.
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