The head of investigations and operations at the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) was kidnapped on Friday night while driving home, assaulted, and later abandoned near Rabie Ridge, north of Johannesburg, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Without mentioning the name of the affected official, IDAC spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the attackers took the official’s cellphone and laptop before leaving him stranded. He managed to get assistance and reported the matter at a nearby police station. He is now receiving medical attention following the ordeal.
The victimised official has been identified in media reports as Matthews Sesoko, the head of Investigations and Operations at IDAC. Sesoko, who previously served as a senior investigator at the Investigating Directorate of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), has been closely involved in several high-profile corruption cases emanating from the State Capture Commission’s findings.
Mamothame said the NPA is cautious about speculating on the motive for the attack or whether it may be linked to the victim’s work.
A growing climate of risk for anti-corruption officials
The attack comes at a time when South Africa’s anti-corruption environment is under intense pressure. The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption — was formally established in 2024 under the amended National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Act to give the NPA a permanent, prosecution-led structure to deal with serious corruption and state capture cases.
The unit has been involved in several high-profile investigations and has faced public scrutiny over its capacity and independence. Some civil society groups have warned that embedding IDAC within the NPA could leave it vulnerable to political interference — similar to what led to the disbandment of the Scorpions in 2009.
The kidnapping of a senior IDAC investigator now raises further concern about the personal safety of officials working on major corruption cases. The theft of work devices also heightens fears around possible data breaches or intimidation.
The matter has been handed over to police for investigation.
Earlier this week, reported that Advocate Andrea Johnson, head of the IDAC, took the stand at the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee.
The committee is probing allegations criminal infiltration, corruption, and political interference within South Africa’s justice system following explosive allegations made by KZN police chief Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in July.
The committee, chaired by Soviet Lekganyane, began hearings on October 7,2025, amid troubling allegations that a sophisticated crime syndicate, known as the “Big Five,” has deeply infiltrated law enforcement and intelligence structures.
News
