Head of the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), Advocate Andrea Johnson, came under sustained questioning before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry after inconsistencies emerged between her evidence to Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee and her testimony before the commission.

The matter centres on an affidavit submitted by MP Fadiel Adams under Section 27 of the National Prosecuting Authority Act, alleging interference by senior SAPS officers in criminal dockets in the Western Cape and Gauteng.

The commission heard that IDAC did not investigate Adams' original complaint but instead pursued allegations relating to the appointment of civilian Dineo Mokwele to a senior Crime Intelligence position.

During cross-examination, Johnson acknowledged that IDAC had overlooked national SAPS directives governing senior appointments and accepted criticism that the matter should have been referred to the National Police Commissioner rather than investigated by IDAC.Commissioners also challenged Johnson over conflicting accounts of how Adams' complaint reached IDAC.

While she previously told Parliament she had not received Adams' affidavit, she later testified that a referral from Adams had initiated a preliminary investigation after correspondence from then Police Minister Senzo Mchunu's office.Johnson explained that her earlier answers reflected her recollection and interpretation of the questions at the time.

She further conceded that she had authorised investigations into 12 individuals, including Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo and Mokwele, without an adequate factual or legal basis.

Johnson agreed that a list of suspects should not have been forwarded to prosecutors without sufficient supporting evidence and accepted the commission's criticism that investigations should not proceed without proper legal and factual grounds.Her testimony before the commission is continuing.