Two in court for allegedly asking hotel group for R67 000 bribe to reduce rates bill

Two people have appeared in court in Hillbrow on charges of extorting Tsogo Sun of more than R60 000.

Goodwill Ncube, 35, and Thembinkosi Hlatshwayo, 45, appeared in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court on Friday. The case has been postponed to 23 October for a formal bail application and further investigation.

“It is reported that the suspects allegedly solicited a R67 000 gratification from the complainant to reduce Tsogo Sun Hotel’s property rate bill account from R323 000 to a lesser amount,” Hawks spokesperson Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu said.

The two claimed to be from Ncube Incorporated Attorneys and said they had been contracted by the City of Johannesburg to collect debt owed by its customers. They later asked for an additional bribe to reduce the utility bill to R12 000.

“The Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation in Germiston and Johannesburg conducted a sting operation at a restaurant in Parktown, Johannesburg, on Thursday. The suspects were immediately arrested in possession of R10 000 in cash,” Mulamu said.

The two face charges of corruption and extortion. The investigation is ongoing.

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