Madlanga Commission | Witness alleges IDAC investigator extorted Pakistani shop owners

An Eastern Cape detective has told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that a Pakistani shop owner alleged that he and several other business owners were extorted by a senior Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) investigator.

Witness N, attached to the Fort Hare University Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), was the fourth witness to testify before the commission on Friday.

She told the commission that Pakistani national, Asif Habib Mohammad, who was introduced to her by South African Police Service (SAPS) Eastern Cape Director of Community Safety, Niel Naidoo, alleged that IDAC Senior Investigator, Suneel Bellochun, had extorted him and other Pakistani shop owners and physically assaulted them.

Witness N said the allegations, together with a R400 000 fraud charge involving Bellochun, remain under investigation.

According to her evidence, Mohammad alleged that Bellochun assaulted him on 27 September 2025, leaving him with a broken nose and damaged teeth.

Witness N said Mohammad made the allegations during a meeting attended by herself, Naidoo and several members of the PKTT.

Witness N further alleged that Mohammad told investigators he and several other Pakistani businessmen, who allegedly had entered South Africa illegally, were fraudulently provided with official documentation with Bellochun’s assistance.

She also testified that Mohammad claimed he witnessed suspicious activity while staying at Bellochun’s property, alleging that televisions and other household appliances were frequently delivered there.

Meanwhile, Hawks Captain Mark McClean, testified that the Lieutenant-Colonel only identified as Witness O was instructed to show suspended Deputy Crime Intelligence head, Major-General Feroz Khan, an email to Khan relating to a 2018 assault case against him and then immediately delete it.

McLean was the second witness to testify on Friday, largely corroborating the evidence of retired Hawks Colonel, Kobus Roelofse.

The commission heard that Witness O received the email on 4 July 2020 from senior prosecutor Advocate Andrea Johnson, who had in turn received it from journalist, Barry Bateman.

According to McLean and Roelofse, Witness O was instructed by Khan to phone Johnson, who then forwarded photographs allegedly showing Crime Intelligence Brigadier, Leonora Phetlhe, after the assault, together with an audio recording of the incident.

McLean testified that Brigadier Phetle told investigators Khan repeatedly poked her in the chest with a pen while reprimanding her, leaving visible injuries.

He also submitted a J88 medical report, which he said corroborated Phetlhe’s account.

Witness O testified that although she had been instructed to delete the email, she secretly kept a copy.

Testifying partially in-camera, she said she forwarded the email from her personal account to her SAPS email for safekeeping.

Witness O told the commission that after speaking to Johnson on Khan’s cellphone, she was asked to provide her personal email address, where the material was sent before she was instructed to show it to Khan and delete it.

Instead, she printed the contents and handed them to Khan in a sealed white envelope while retaining copies herself.

The commission heard that Phetlhe alleged the assault took place on 26 June 2018 at her Crime Intelligence office, after which she opened a case of assault and intimidation against Khan.

Written by: Odirile Rabalao