Two arrested for alleged bribery in Polokwane
Two people have been arrested by the Hawks serious corruption members in Polokwane on Wednesday, 13 November.
POLOKWANE – This is thanks to a collaboration between the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI).
The two, aged 34 and 44, were arrested after they bribed an SIU investigator to exclude the portion of a report which recommended that their company be charged criminally and further asked to reduce the amount they will need to pay back.
The decision was made that the service should face criminal charges as well as pay back R3 million for a tender which was not serviced although they submitted documents to the Mopani Municipality which requested payments.
The two alleged corrupt members met the investigator on Wednesday in one of Polokwane’s hotels. They handed over a R300 000 bribe which led to their instant arrest. Efforts are underway to make certain that the arrested members will be liable to pay back the R3 million and that the R300 000 gratification will be forfeited to the state.
Lt Gen Godfrey Lebeya, the national head of the DPCI, applauded the team for their collaboration which led to the arrest. Lebeya is pleased by the continued efforts by law enforcement to identify and impose significant arrests and for them investing in integrity as well as protecting government institutions from corruption.
The head of the SIU National, Adv Any Mothibi also embraced the arrest of the criminals and commended the SIU investigator who has demonstrated that SIU investigators put integrity at the centre of their work. Mothibi also praised the cooperation between the SIU and Hawks which led to the arrest.
“We are proud of our official who stayed true to what he stands for and that he put integrity before greed,” he concluded.
The suspects are expected to appear at the Polokwane Magistrate court on Friday on charges of corruption.
