WATCH: Fadiel Adams admits misleading minister as ‘Dead Man’ defence unravels at Madlanga Commission
· Citizen
Suspended National Coloured Congress (NCC) MP Fadiel Adams appeared before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Thursday, 20 August 2026.
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Under cross‑examination, Adams conceded that he had misled then‑Police Minister Senzo Mchunu in late 2024 by presenting unverified allegations of corruption within Saps Crime Intelligence.
Missing dockets
Adams testified that he opened three cases in Cape Town in October 2024 before travelling to Gauteng, where he registered further cases.
These charges implicated senior SAPS Crime Intelligence members, including the head of Crime Intelligence, Dumisani Khumalo.
Adams claimed that dockets went missing after he opened cases at Cape Town Central Police Station on 29 October 2024 and said the same occurred with cases he registered at Orlando Police Station two days later.
He told the commission that documents he believed may have been slipped under his door in 2024 formed the basis of his criminal complaint against senior Crime Intelligence officers.
Information
Adams stated that his information came from the late General André Lincoln, who died in May 2025. He claimed Lincoln had informed him that corruption dockets against senior police officials were being intercepted and destroyed.
Adams’ decision to reopen cases in Johannesburg at Orlando Police Station brought into focus links between Lincoln, North West businessman Brown Mogotsi, and then‑Minister Mchunu.
When questioned, Adams was unable to provide documentary evidence or independent verification of his claims.
‘Dead man’
Evidence leader Advocate Lee Segeels‑Ncube challenged Adams’ reliance on Lincoln. “No, Mr Adams. You have the case numbers now. You cannot rely on a dead man every time. It’s unacceptable.”
Adams responded: “I understand your frustration. What we all know is that the police service covers for each other. I was told these dockets disappear. I went to Orlando because General Lincoln advised me, and I feared Cape Town dockets would be intercepted. The very next day, I warned the minister the same thing had happened.”
Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga questioned inconsistencies in Adams’ testimony.
“How is that possible? General Lincoln was in Cape Town, incapacitated. He could not intercept anything. You cannot build your case on such contradictions. Now, tell us-what time did you lay your charges in Orlando?”
Adams replied that it was “late morning,” before apologising for addressing the chairperson as “commissioner.”
Madlanga Commission evidence leader Adv Lee Segeels-Ncube becomes frustrated with National Coloured Congress president Fadiel Adams pic.twitter.com/xvow70riLI
— News Live SA (@newslivesa) August 20, 2026
Arrest
On Wednesday, 19 August, Adams had been accused of dishonesty after attributing missed submissions to a malfunctioning laptop. Parliament’s IT records did not support his explanation.
Outside the commission venue, police arrested Adams’ associate, businessman Stuart Scharnick, after journalist Herman Moloi laid charges of intimidation. Scharnick allegedly confronted Moloi during a tea adjournment.
The commission’s spokesperson, Jeremy Michaels, said the Madlanga commission condemned any unacceptable behaviour towards journalists, emphasising their crucial role in communicating the proceedings to the public and the world.
“We will not tolerate this,” he said.
Witnesses have mentioned Scharnick in prior proceedings.
Criminals records
Last year, KwaZulu-Natal police alleged that a Saps employee manipulated the criminal records system to hide Scharnick’s history of cases, including 10 motor vehicle thefts and eight carjackings that consolidated into a lenient plea of a five-year suspended sentence and R150 000 fine.
They also alleged that he improperly obtained five firearm licences for sporting purposes, despite his convictions.
Adams’ testimony is significant because his Section 27 referral affidavit initiated investigations into SAPS Crime Intelligence. His reliance on Lincoln, disclosed after the general’s death, was a central focus of questioning by evidence leaders and commissioners.
The inquiry adjourned temporarily to allow Adams to review audio recordings of his prior interactions with investigators.
Proceedings are scheduled to continue next week.