South Africa's deputy police chief resigns after being charged with sexual offences

Shadrack Sibiya had denied grooming a 16-year-old and raping an 18-year-old. Lt Gen Shadrack Sibiya has denied all the charges against him South Africa's deputy police chief has resigned three weeks after he was charged with sexual offences. A lawyer representing Lt Gen Shadrack Sibiya submitted his resignation letter at his disciplinary hearing on Monday, a police spokesperson said. Sibiya, 59, is also accused of having links to organised crime bosses – allegations which led to him being suspended last year. He denies those allegations, as well as charges that he sexually groomed a 16-year-old girl and raped an 18-year-old woman. He also faces a charge of human trafficking. Sibiya says he did have sex with the 18-year-old but that it was consensual.

He has been in custody since he was arrested three weeks ago. Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said in a post on X that his departure from the police force was regarded as a dishonourable discharge, external because he was still facing a disciplinary case when he resigned. The accusations that Sibiya was linked to crime bosses emerged at a major public inquiry over allegations of police corruption and collusion with criminals, known as the Madlanga Commission. Sibiya was accused of interfering with investigations into political killings in KwaZulu-Natal province. He was also accused of receiving a gift