Sam ‘Mshengu’ Chabalala back in court for allegedly paying R120K bribe

Prominent Middelburg businessman Sam “Mshengu” Chabalala is expected to appear in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court for a formal bail application on Tuesday following his arrest on Thursday.

Chabalala, 25, was arrested after he allegedly attempted to bribe a police officer to release his impounded car.

The businessman popularly known as Mshengu was first arrested in 2019 and charged with fraud, corruption and possession of an unlicensed firearm. The Witbank Magistrate’s Court later released him on R200,000 bail.

Mshengu’s latest arrest comes following claims that he tried to bribe a senior police officer in Mpumalanga into releasing his impounded vehicle and make his initial case disappear. He is alleged to have paid R50,000 as a down payment and further added R70,000.

He appeared in court on Friday on two charges of corruption, where the case was postponed to Tuesday.

Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, has applauded the quick response of the investigating team.

“I would like to commend the members of the DPCI who resisted the temptation by those who want to corrupt them. We shall be working towards forfeiting the money paid as gratification,” said General Lebeya.

Processes to ensure that Mshengu forfeits the R120,000 bribe money he paid are already under way.

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