Undercover Hawks officer caught using phone while driving arrests cops for taking his R200 bribe

Two traffic officials from the Limpopo Provincial Government were charged with corruption in the Groblersdal Magistrates Court on Friday.

Eugene Nhlanhla Masina and Jacob Matjiane Pitso were accused of accepting a R200 bribe from a driver in exchange for not issuing a traffic fine.

The accused face charges under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004 for accepting gratification and defeating the administration of justice.

Sting operation

Masina and Pitso tag teamed in corruption when they stopped a car around Moutse area opposite the Sekhukhune District Municipality because the driver was using his phone while driving.

The driver, who was an undercover member of the South African Police Services’ Directorate For Priority Crimes Investigations (Hawks), was asked to pay a R100 gratification fee to stop him from getting a traffic fine.

The driver negotiated down the requested amount to R200.

Unbeknownst to the officials, the driver and his two occupants were Hawks members driving in an unmarked vehicle.

“The Hawks members then gave their colleague a R200 note for him to hand it over to the traffic officials, who then informed him they don’t have change and therefore they will keep the R200,” said National Prosecution Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi.

After accepting the bribe, the officials were arrested for corruption on the spot.

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Bail hearing

Masina appeared before Groblerdal for bail application but was denied bail.

Pitso was granted bail of R20 000, despite his attorney arguing for a lower amount of R1 000.

The state argued Pitso should pay R100 000 bail, with senior state advocate Martin Molokwane arguing that the amount of bail should equal the gravity of the offence.

The matter was postponed to 30 October for further investigations.