'Andrea Johnson told many untruths': Former IDAC head's subordinate hits back
Former head of the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) Advocate Andrea Johnson is facing fresh allegations at the Madlanga Commission after one of her former subordinates accused her of giving false evidence about the controversial prosecution of Crime Intelligence Technical Support head Lieutenant-General Dineo Mokwele.
State Advocate Drushanta Ramsamy, who worked under Johnson at IDAC, used the opening moments of her testimony on Thursday to directly challenge Johnson's version of events.
"I have to set the record straight at the outset," Ramsamy told the Commission.
"Adv Johnson told many untruths about me and my involvement in what is now known as the Mokwele case."
Ramsamy disputed Johnson's evidence that she had simply been assigned to prosecute the Mokwele matter, insisting instead that Johnson was in charge of what became known as "Project Diversion" from the outset.
"I am profoundly disturbed, but not surprised by Adv Johnson's testimony. She sought to blame me for so-called irregular or problematic processes. Let me make it clear that Adv Johnson was in charge of Project Diversion and in particular the Mokwele matter from the outset," Ramsamy said.
Ramsamy testified that she repeatedly raised concerns about the Mokwele investigation, as well as other Crime Intelligence-related matters involving National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, but those concerns were ignored.
READ: Former IDAC head concedes legal justification for Masemola PFMA charges 'does not hold water'
She further alleged that Johnson instructed her to prepare documents that departed from IDAC's standard operating procedures despite her concerns about the merits of the case.
According to Ramsamy, Johnson told her on 5 December 2024 that "they had decided" the matter would proceed and instructed her to urgently prepare an application authorising a Section 28(13) investigation.
Ramsamy also told the Commission that Johnson handed her what she believed was a confidential Section 27 referral affidavit together with a handwritten list of individuals to be named as suspects.
She said Johnson instructed her not to make copies of the affidavit or show it to anyone.
She testified that the process immediately raised concerns because it differed from established procedures she had previously followed in similar investigations.
However, she complied because the instructions came directly from Johnson, who indicated that the decision to proceed had already been made.
In another significant allegation, Ramsamy claimed the Section 27 referral affidavit presented during earlier Commission proceedings was not the same document Johnson had handed her in December 2024.
She told the Commission she only saw the affidavit presented in evidence for the first time when it was displayed during testimony by another IDAC investigator.
After discussing it with lead investigator Mantsha Raphesu, Ramsamy said they both concluded it was not the affidavit they had previously worked from.
Ramsamy also rejected any suggestion that her evidence was motivated by retaliation after Johnson implicated members of her team.
She testified that she first approached the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in June 2025 to report what she believed were serious problems within IDAC.
She later compiled documents detailing what she regarded as unlawful instructions issued during Project Diversion and said she also informed investigators that Johnson had lied during her appearance before Parliament's ad hoc committee.
Her testimony comes after Evidence Leader Advocate Mahlape Sello suggested during Johnson's own evidence that she appeared to be shifting responsibility for controversial decisions onto members of her team.
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