A taxi driver and vehicle examiner was sentenced in Ficksburg Magistrate’s Court in the Free State on charges of corruption, fraud, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
Taxi driver, 48-year-old Tladi Jacob Letaba and a vehicle examiner at a testing centre in Gqeberha, 37-year-old Thato Phumulane Mbonane were convicted for roadworthy certificates corruption.
The provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks), Lieutenant Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli said before sentencing the duo were out on R5,000 bail each.
The men were arrested in October 2021, during an operation conducted by the Hawks in Ficksburg by members of the Serious Corruption Investigation team.
“The accused were arrested in October 2021during a Hawks operation conducted in Ficksburg by members of Serious Corruption Investigation. The detectives were reacting to disturbing information about a group of people working in cahoots to issue fraudulent vehicle roadworthy certificates,” Mohobeleli said.
“Vehicle owners as far away as the Eastern Cape were being issued certificates for vehicles that were never presented at the testing station for a physical check by examiners. A mere R1,100 was enough to pay for the certificate and grease the hands of those involved.”
The duo were arrested and released on bail as court proceedings began.
The court convicted the pair and Letaba was sentenced to six years imprisonment, which was wholly suspended for five years for corruption.
He was fined to R20,000 or six years imprisonment three years which was wholly suspended for five years on the charge of fraud.
Letaba was also sentenced to five years imprisonment wholly suspended for four years on the charge of conspiracy to commit a crime.
Mbonane was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for corruption of which was wholly suspended for five years.
He was fined R40,000 or eight years imprisonment of which four years were wholly suspended for five years for fraud.
The court further sentenced Mbonane to five years imprisonment wholly suspended for four years on the charge of conspiracy to commit a crime.
Acting head of the Hawks in the Free State, Brigadier Xolani Matroos said similar operations were conducted in other parts of the Free State resulting in a number of suspects being brought before the courts.
“The Hawks are always watching. Their sharp claws are ready to descend on any traffic officer, vehicle examiner, owner, and driver involved in corruption,” he said.
The Hawks also said seven other suspects were also arrested during the same operation and they are expected back in the Ficksburg Magistrate’s Court on August 12.
IOL