A Free State Gambling and Liquor Authority district manager is expected to appear in the Bethlehem Magistrate’s Court on Monday on corruption charges.
The 53-year-old man was arrested by members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks) attached to the Serious Corruption Investigation team on Friday, August 16.
The provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli said the suspect is alleged to have bribed prospective liquor license-holders.
“The detectives were reacting to complaints that the district manager was demanding gratification from prospective liquor license-holders in order to facilitate authorisation. During a visit to his office, the suspect was found in possession of R2,000 which he had solicited in this manner,” Mohobeleli said.
Head of the Hawks in the Free State, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba said it is disturbing that a person in a position of authority would ignore their duty to fight corruption.
“We have to be harsher on managers who, instead of reporting fraud and corruption, commit crime,” Bokaba said.
In a separate incident, a rapist was sentenced in the Sasolburg High Court after he attacked a physically-challenged woman.
Rapist, Tshepo Lethebe, 19, was found guilty of raping a 21-year-old woman on February 7, 2021.
Lethebe broke into the woman’s home, dragged her to his house, undressed her, raped her, and then fell asleep. During his sleep, she dressed herself and managed to flee and get help.
The court sentenced Lethebe to 15 years of direct imprisonment.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
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