Limpopo prison deputy director found guilty of corruption, fraud

The former deputy director for the Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Facility in Limpopo has been convicted on charges of fraud and corruption, according to the police.

Spokesperson Captain Matimba Maluleke said Clement Raphalalani, 56, was found guilty in the Makhado Regional Court on Tuesday on two counts of corruption and 25 counts of fraud.

The charges date back to 2017, when Raphalalani was the facility’s procurement officer and awarded a R2.7 million tender to Pengson Manufacturing and Distribution, owned by Editha Pengson, without following due process.

“Raphalalani connived with [the owner of the company] to inflate the prices of the items procured for the facility in return for a R369,380 payment that was transferred from Pengson Manufacturing company into Clemson Carriers company, which belonged to Raphalalani,” Maluleke said.

“The Hawks’ investigations also revealed that in the very same year (2017), Raphalalani also unlawfully awarded another tender valued at R1,071,831 to Vhalenda Zwashu Trading Enterprise, owned by his girlfriend Delicia Sadiki, 42,” he added.

Maluleke said it had been established Raphalalani transferred R132,500 into Sadiki’s personal bank account.

It was also found he, together with Thabo Makamane, who was also a deputy director at the facility, had irregularly awarded a tender worth R3,588,707 to Durafoarm Distributors CC in return for R569,500.

Raphalalani, Makamane, Pengson and Sadiki were arrested during a sting operation by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation unit in December 2018.

“The Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Facility suffered a loss of over R18 million due to these corrupt activities,” Maluleke said.

Raphalalani was found guilty on two counts of corruption and 25 counts of fraud, while Clemson Carriers was found guilty on one count of corruption and 10 counts of fraud.

Pengson Manufacturing and Distribution was found guilty on two counts of corruption and 25 counts of fraud.

“The accused will be sentenced on 15 September 2020. Makamane pleaded not guilty and he will appear in court on 22 October 2020 for trial,” Maluleke said.

Sadiki was expected to appear in court on 15 September 2020 for a plea bargain, he added.

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