Former national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane, several high-ranking generals in the Crime Intelligence Division and two businessmen have been released on bail ranging from R5 000 to R50 000.

They appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday following their arrest in a series of raids across the country over a R54-million procurement scandal alleged to have spanned several years.

During the bail application, media houses were barred from being inside the courtroom due to the gallery being packed to capacity. Only eNCA, SABC and Newzroom were allowed inside.

The matter has been postponed to 7 December.