Ex-acting NPA boss in Mpumalanga fired over bribery charges

The Mpumalanga former acting director of public prosecutions, Matric Luphondo, was dismissed on Tuesday during an arbitration process, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed.

Luphondo faced serious charges ranging from bribery to bringing the NPA into dispute after he was found guilty of offering a bribe to a senior state advocate in Pretoria Magistrate Court to withdraw a case against a senior government official at the Mpumalanga Department of Human Settlements.

Luphondo was arrested in 2021

Kebone Masange, the head of the department, Luphondo, and Lieutenant Colonel Ayanda Plaatjie, commander of the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigations unit, were arrested in 2021 for corruption in relation to a case of contravention of the Immigration Act.

Masange, who was born in Zimbabwe, was accused of having three South African IDs, and he allegedly used fraudulent documents to apply for a position at the department.

He was subsequently arrested by immigration officers in September 2020, and the Hawks were assigned to the case.

Luphondo and Plaatjie were accused of bribing another public prosecutor to make the case against Masange disappear.

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NPA’s commitment to rooting out corruption within its ranks

The NPA welcomed Luphondo’s dismissal and said it demonstrated its commitment to rooting out corruption within its ranks.

“The allegations of bribery and alternatively gross dishonesty against Luphondo are a contravention of clause 4.3.4(a) of the NPA Code of Ethics,” NPA spokesperson Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga said.

Mhaga added that the NPA has a zero-tolerance stance against corruption within its ranks and upholds strong anti-corruption policies and procedures.

“Advocate Luphondo, in particular as a senior manager in the NPA, should have acted at all times with the highest ethical standards and executed his duties without fear, favour, or prejudice,” Mhaga said.

“The dismissal of Advocate Luphondo demonstrates the NPA’s commitment to rooting out corruption and ensuring accountability, including within its own senior ranks.”

Trial underway at High Court

The criminal trial against Luphondo is currently underway at the High Court in Pretoria.

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