---
title: "SAPS forensic captain arrested in expanding Madlanga fallout"
description: "The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry continues to send ripples through the SA Police Service, this time with the arrest of a captain from the police’s forensic lab."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "CROOKED BLUE LINE"
author: "Vincent Cruywagen"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/vincent-cruywagen-2/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-05-24-saps-forensic-captain-arrested-in-expanding-madlanga-fallout-/"
published: "2026-05-24T22:14:53"
updated: "2026-05-25T09:38:44"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 491
---

# SAPS forensic captain arrested in expanding Madlanga fallout

> The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry continues to send ripples through the SA Police Service, this time with the arrest of a captain from the police’s forensic lab.

By Vincent Cruywagen · Published 25 May 2026, 00:14 SAST · Updated 25 May 2026, 11:38 SAST

## Key points
- An SAPS forensic captain has been arrested in connection with allegations of defeating justice involving high-profile murder cases.
- The arrest is part of the ongoing investigations linked to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which is exposing corruption within the SAPS.
- Evidence seized during the arrest includes ballistic reports and ammunition related to tampered forensic evidence in a murder case.
- The captain is set to appear in court on 25 May, as the ripple effects of the commission continue to unfold within the police service.

## Content

The Madlanga Commission’s Recommendations Task Team has arrested a South African Police Service forensic laboratory captain at his Pretoria home on charges related to defeating the ends of justice.

He is due to appear at the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 25 May.

The arrest, according to national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, was made on Friday, and relates to allegations of defeating the ends of justice in several high-profile murder cases currently under investigation, as well as evidence before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.

The arrest suggests that the commission is using testimony before it as a roadmap for criminal investigations into alleged networks operating within SAPS structures.

Barely two weeks ago, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola and 12 senior SAPS officials appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court in connection with corruption allegations linked to a R360-million Medicare24 contract awarded to alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.

[Read more

Top cops in the dock — here’s the full list of Madlanga-related arrests

May 12, 2026 ![Image](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/_T684mw0nsOydsbqNDjGfRoXpeM=/450x0/smart/file/attachments/orphans/Vince-medicare24-tender-corruption_130737.jpg)](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-05-12-top-cops-in-the-dock-heres-the-full-list-of-madlanga-related-arrests/)

### **Ballistics report and ammunition seized**

During Friday’s arrest, investigators attached to the commission’s Recommendations Task Team seized ballistic reports, rounds of ammunition and other evidential material relevant to investigations.

The commission had previously received explosive testimony regarding the alleged tampering of forensic evidence in the April 2024 [murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-04-22-top-sedibeng-cop-denies-trying-to-help-murder-charged-brother-in-law-kt-molefe/).

Witness A told the inquiry in October 2025 about problems with the ballistic investigation conducted at the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory in Pretoria.

According to Witness A, police recovered 15 rifle cartridges in a plastic bag, along with a firearm found inside a Mercedes-Benz Viano allegedly belonging to disgraced [Warrant Officer Michael Pule Tau](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-20-envelopes-and-missing-evidence-madlanga-commission-hears-allegations-of-murder-cover-up/).

Tau, along with Katiso “KT” Molefe, Musa Kekana and Floyd Mabusela, are accused of murdering Swart.

Witness A told the commission he believed the spent cartridges had been tampered with after they were handed over to forensic investigators. He further testified that when he and Witness B later examined the ballistic report, they discovered that no forensic analysis had been recorded for the cartridges

[Read more

Madlanga Commission hears allegations of murder cover-up

October 20, 2025 ![Image](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/k_ntWVlPoZYTsq9pL9EMixxPWDA=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Vince-Madlanga-Witness-A-testimony-copy.jpg)](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-20-envelopes-and-missing-evidence-madlanga-commission-hears-allegations-of-murder-cover-up/)

In testimony on 27 October 2025, Brigadier Mishak Mkhabela, head of the ballistics section at the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory, revealed that the unit was buckling under a [backlog of more than 41,000 criminal cases](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-29-saps-ballistics-backlog-imperils-criminal-cases-and-undermines-trust-in-police/), severe staff shortages and crippling delays affecting firearm investigations nationwide.

But perhaps most alarming was the admission that the original ballistic report connected to the Swart investigation was riddled with errors and had to be rewritten. According to testimony before the commission, the report contained missing analyses, incorrect case numbers and other serious discrepancies.

A senior forensic analyst, Captain Solomon Modisane, attached to the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), told the commission that an AK-47 rifle found in the possession of two suspects charged with murdering Swart — Molefe and Tau — had been used to murder DJ Sumbody, DJ Vintos and Don Tindleni. **DM**