A Pretoria High Court judge has been arrested in a dramatic late-night operation linked to alleged multi-million rand bribery in a long-running church leadership war.
Judge Portia Dipuo Phahlane was taken into custody on Tuesday night along with three other suspects during a Hawks operation focused on corruption and money-laundering allegations tied to the International Pentecost Holiness Church (IPHC) succession dispute.
According to Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale, the suspects — aged between 32 and 64 — face charges including corruption and money laundering. They are expected to appear before the Pretoria Serious Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday morning.
Investigators allege that Judge Phahlane accepted “gratification”, essentially bribes, in exchange for delivering a favourable judgment in the bitterly contested leadership battle inside one of South Africa’s largest churches.
“Warrants of arrest were obtained for the identified individuals,” Mogale confirmed.
“The investigation revealed a money trail amounting to millions of rand that allegedly exchanged hands among the accused.”
Acting Hawks head Lieutenant General Siphosihle Nkosi praised the arrests, describing them as another step in rooting out corruption that strikes at the heart of public trust.
“These arrests demonstrate the DPCI’s unwavering commitment to tackling corruption at all levels,” Nkosi said. “The meticulous work by the Serious Corruption Investigation team, supported by our partners in the National Prosecuting Authority, reflects the strength of our collective resolve. We will continue to pursue all those who abuse positions of trust and undermine the rule of law.”
The case marks yet another dramatic twist in the IPHC saga, a years-long feud involving court battles, splinter groups and allegations of criminal interference. With a senior member of the judiciary now implicated, public interest in the case is set to intensify as proceedings unfold.
