Nelspruit Specialised Commercial Crime Court sentences two men for corruption

The Nelspruit Specialised Commercial Crimes Court has convicted and sentenced Robert Reginald Booth (53) and Barry Victor Welgemoed (35), both from Mbombela, to eight years’ for corruption on August 24.

The provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Monica Nyuswa, said the pair pleaded guilty to the offence committed on Kingston Valley Farm, near Karino, on March 16.

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Booth was employed by the Department of Home Affairs as an immigration officer, and Welgemoed was an ordinary member of the public. The pair offered to arrange work permits for 11 foreign nationals employed by the farm in exchange for R5 500 each.

“One of the employees reported the matter to the Hawks, and a sting operation was arranged. Both accused were caught red-handed, as their activities were recorded on CCTV and voice recordings. In court, the pair pleaded guilty to a charge of corruption,” Nyuswa said.

The senior state advocate, Henry Nxumalo, addressed the court about the seriousness of the corruption offence, and said there is a huge outcry in society that the courts must address corruption by imposing appropriate sentences. He further told the court that corruption is a threat to the democratic order.

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Magistrate Deon van Rooyen sentenced the pair to eight years’ imprisonment, half of which is suspended for five years on the condition that the accused are not convicted of a similar offence during the period of suspension. The effective sentence is four years of direct imprisonment.

“Corruption is one of the key priorities of the National Prosecuting Authority, and it applauds all partners involved in ensuring that justice is served without fear or favour,” Nyuswa said