South Africa’s Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo faces fraud and defamation charges after allegedly making false statements about a businessman’s criminal history during testimony at a judicial inquiry.
Stuart Scharnick, an associate of suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, opened the cases at Brooklyn Police Station in Pretoria on Wednesday morning, according to information verified by multiple South African news outlets.
The charges stem from Khumalo’s testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry last week, where he stated Scharnick had been convicted on 18 counts related to theft and carjacking.
Scharnick acknowledged having criminal convictions but denied ever being convicted of carjacking, saying the claim was “factually incorrect.”
“After consulting with my legal counsel, we decided to open these criminal cases against him because what he said was factually incorrect, and as the head of Crime Intelligence, he has all the access to these resources to verify his story before lying under oath,” Scharnick told reporters.
The fraud charge will likely be changed to perjury for lying under oath and defeating the ends of justice, Scharnick said.
The Madlanga Commission, chaired by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, is investigating allegations of corruption and criminal infiltration within South Africa’s law enforcement agencies.
President Cyril Ramaphosa established the inquiry in July following explosive allegations by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi about a criminal syndicate operating within the police service.
Scharnick’s legal team is quantifying damages to his reputation, he said.
“We are quantifying the damages because it has far-reaching effects, particularly because the Madlanga Commission has been broadcast nationally and internationally,” Scharnick said.
During his testimony last week, Khumalo had linked Scharnick to Sibiya, stating that a Toyota bakkie driven by the suspended deputy commissioner was registered in Scharnick’s name.
Khumalo testified that Scharnick faced 34 criminal charges in total, with 18 convictions, 11 withdrawn cases and five acquittals.
The Crime Intelligence head is currently on bail facing separate charges, according to statements made by Scharnick to media outlets.
The commission has heard testimony from several senior police officials, including National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola, about alleged interference in investigations and links between law enforcement and criminal syndicates.
