Shadrack Sibiya faces further disciplinary action as firearm charge emerges in bail hearing
· Citizen
Suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner for Crime Detection Shadrack Sibiya is facing mounting legal and disciplinary challenges, with his legal team revealing that he has been served with an additional disciplinary notice by the South African Police Service (Saps).
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The development emerged during his bail proceedings at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 1 October 2026, where his legal representative, Rashaad Moosa, took the stand in support of his application for release.
Moosa also confirmed that the state had brought an additional firearm-related charge against Sibiya, stemming from a gun allegedly discovered in his vehicle when he was arrested.
“The state is now alleging a contravention by Mr Sibiya of the Firearms Control Act. I think the issue relates to the storage of the firearm,” he told the court.
Shadrack Sibiya seeks bail in rape, sexual grooming case
The court heard that Sibiya is facing three separate disciplinary notices within Saps, with proceedings relating to different sets of allegations.
One disciplinary hearing is scheduled to run from 2 to 6 November 2026, and again between 10 and 20 November.
A separate inquiry, being conducted under the Saps Regulation 9 expedited process, is scheduled for 5 October.
The proceedings relate to allegations arising from the Madlanga commission.
Moosa said his client had been served with a notice relating to the expedited process during his previous court appearance earlier this week.
“The charges that form the subject matter of the new notice are not the charges that form the subject matter of the previous notice,” the lawyer said.
Advocate Estelle Kilian informed the court that Sibiya had received another disciplinary notice on Wednesday, 30 September, while in custody at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Pretoria.
“We were not even aware of that notice,” Kilian revealed.
“Unfortunately, the applicant did not bring this document along. He left it behind in prison and he can’t recall what is the actual hearing date on that,” she added.
Sibiya was initially placed on special leave in July 2025 before being suspended in September of the same year.
Defence says Sibiya was willing to cooperate
Under cross-examination by state prosecutor Velile Makasana, Moosa also testified that Sibiya’s legal representatives had approached Saps, the office of National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Andy Mothibi, and the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) before his arrest to establish whether he was facing possible criminal charges.
“The whole idea behind the correspondence was to demonstrate that Mr Sibiya is not a flight risk, that he is cooperative in respect of any investigation, and to pre-empt a situation where, in the event that a charge is preferred or laid against him, all these matters are dealt with holistically.”
The lawyer further told the court that the defence had written to Mothibi after identifying what it considered conflicting findings between Parliament’s ad hoc committee on Saps and the Madlanga commission.
He argued that the parliamentary committee’s draft report did not suggest that criminal investigations should be pursued against Sibiya, while the Madlanga commission’s findings pointed in a different direction.
“What we sought to achieve was clarity in relation to whether or not any criminal investigation was indeed laid or going to be laid in respect of any finding, be it the Madlanga commission or otherwise, so we deal with the matter,” Moosa explained.
He maintained that the correspondence was intended to establish Sibiya’s legal position and safeguard his rights.
“It’s quite clear that Mr Sibiya is entitled to his freedom and to his liberty. We acted out of caution.”
Makasana argued that the defence had attempted to prevent Sibiya from being arrested, but Moosa rejected the allegation.
“I suppose that calls for speculation on the part of the state,” Moosa remarked.
Legal challenge against disciplinary hearing and search warrants
Moosa revealed that Sibiya is preparing to challenge the 5 October disciplinary hearing.
His legal team has asked Saps to halt the disciplinary process, while his criminal case continues.
Should the police service refuse, Sibiya intends to approach the High Court.
“We will have no alternative but to approach the court for relief,” Moosa told the court.
Sibiya’s legal team has also launched a separate challenge concerning three search warrants.
Kilian confirmed that papers had already been filed in the High Court seeking to set aside the warrants and handed the application to Magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe.
“It is not an exhibit. It is for the court’s attention, and it is available for any party on caselines,” the legal representative said.
The police have conducted several searches at Sibiya’s Centurion residence as part of the investigation.
During a search in October 2025, investigators seized electronic devices from the property.
The police searched the residence again on an unspecified date before returning for a third operation on 21 September 2026, the day Sibiya was arrested.
Kilian did not disclose the circumstances or date of the second search in court.
Charges
Sibiya was arrested on 21 September at a strip club in Rivonia by the Madlanga Commission’s Recommendations Task Team (CRTT).
In addition to the firearm charge, the senior police officer is currently facing three counts of sexual grooming, one count of human trafficking, and one count of rape.
The sexual grooming charges relate to allegations involving a 16-year-old girl and are said to have occurred between July and August 2026 through electronic communications.
The rape charge relates to an alleged incident in May 2026, when Sibiya is accused of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman at a hotel in Sandton.
The human trafficking charge concerns alleged sexual exploitation involving three people.
Sibiya has denied all the charges, claiming persecution.