Johannesburg - A Free State prosecutor appeared in the Phuthaditjhaba Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of corruption and defeating the administration of justice after he solicited a R600 bribe from a suspect, the Hawks said.
The Hawks in the Free State said Nkululeko Theophilus Ngcana, 50, allegedly accepted the bribe from a suspect to withdraw charges of operating a motor vehicle with a fraudulent licence disc in September 2017.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Christopher Singo said Ngcana allegedly did not withdraw the charges against the suspect despite taking the bribe. The suspect then reported the matter.
According to the Hawks, Ngcana also failed to pay a court a R500 admission of guilt fine after a police officer who was charged with reckless driving paid it to him.
“In January 2020, another accused, who is a police official, gave Ngcana R500 to pay on his behalf for admission of guilt on a charge of reckless or negligent driving. Ngcana took R500 as agreed from the accused to pay on his behalf but he did not pay to the court as agreed.
“The accused received summonses to appear in court for failure to pay R500 for admission of guilt. Upon enquiry at court, he found out that Ngcana did not pay R500. He then reported the matter to the senior NPA prosecutor,” said Singo.
He said the prosecutor was arrested on Sunday before appearing in court on Monday, where he was released on R1500 bail.
His matter has been postponed until March 10, for further investigation.
IOL