A senior South African National Defence Force (SANDF) official is in court after an alleged R1.5 million bribe attempt linked to an intimidation case.

Johannes Prince Mkhabela, 53, appeared briefly in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday on a corruption charge.

What the State Alleges

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says Mkhabela met with a police investigator on 13 February 2026 while the investigator was probing an intimidation case against him.

During that meeting, the NPA alleges Mkhabela paid the investigating officer R50,000 as a deposit. He then allegedly promised to pay the remaining amount by September 2026.

The alleged deal was simple: the officer would destroy the case docket in exchange for the money.

Who the Accused is

According to the NPA, Mkhabela is the SANDF’s director of special acquisition.

After the alleged exchange, members of the Madlanga Commission Task Team arrested him, the NPA said.

It is reported that he was arrested on Friday, ahead of his first court appearance in Pretoria.

What Happens Next

The case has been postponed to 20 February 2026 for bail investigations.

For now, the allegations remain before court, and Mkhabela has not yet entered a plea in the matter, based on what was reported from his brief appearance.