The state has withdrawn its corruption case against former acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane after failing to persuade the magistrate to grant a three-month postponement for further investigation.

Phahlane‚ his co-accused and wife Beauty‚ and Pretoria used-car dealership owner Durant Snyman on Thursday walked out of the specialised commercial crimes court in Pretoria smiling after the state elected to withdraw the case.

Magistrate Nicca Setshogoe refused to grant any further postponements‚ saying “when the investigation is complete‚ you can bring the matter before court”.

The former top cop‚ his wife and Snyman were facing six counts of corruption for allegedly receiving or accepting gratifications from Snyman‚ who is said to have helped forensic-supply companies doing business with the police to pay Phahlane and his wife‚ a brigadier in the SA Police Service‚ kickbacks.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) alleges that Snyman’s dealership was used by Forensic Data Analyst (FDA)‚ which supplied the police with forensic equipments‚ to facilitate the kickbacks to Phahlane and his wife using vehicles purchased from Snyman’s dealership.