South Africa Deputy Police Chief Resigns Amid Sexual Offense Charges

Lt Gen Shadrack Sibiya, the deputy police chief of South Africa, has officially resigned from his post. The announcement came on Monday when his legal representative submitted his resignation letter during a disciplinary hearing.

Sibiya faces serious allegations, including the sexual grooming of a 16-year-old girl and the rape of an 18-year-old woman. He is also implicated in a charge of trafficking. These charges surfaced approximately three weeks prior to his resignation, leading to his arrest and subsequent denial of bail.

While Sibiya has denied the majority of the accusations, he has admitted to having sexual relations with the 18-year-old woman, asserting that the encounter was consensual. He has been in police custody since his arrest.

According to police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, Sibiya’s departure from the police force will be treated as a dishonourable discharge. This development occurs at a critical time for the South African police service, which is currently under scrutiny due to a major public inquiry examining allegations of corruption and collusion with criminal elements.

The inquiry, known as the Madlanga Commission, also heard separate accusations against Sibiya concerning the alleged receipt of 20 impalas from a suspected criminal kingpin. This gift was reportedly in exchange for a police contract, an allegation Sibiya has also denied.

This report is based on information from Nile Post.