News in short
Court reporter charged with corruption gets bail
BUSHBUCKRIDGE - A court reporter accused of corruption was granted R6 000 bail by the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s
Court on April 22. Busizwe Zizwe Zitha
(40) is alleged to have asked for money from accused persons in exchange for helping to have their cases thrown out. He was arrested by the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation team on April 16. The case will be back in the Nelspruit Commercial Crime Court on August 6.
Manhunt for ATM bombers
MATSULU - Police in Mpumalanga have launched a manhunt for a group of suspects that bombed two ATMs at a shopping complex in Matsulu in the early hours of Friday April 23. According to information received, the suspects, who had been heavily armed, broke the gate at the main entrance to gain entry to the complex. They fired shots, bombed the ATMs and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. Anyone with information may contact Sgt Finish Mkhabela on 072-174-3394.
Mpumalanga suspect sought for alleged fraud
MBOMBELA - Members of the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Mpumalanga are looking for Oscar Mathe (45) who is wanted for alleged fraud. He is sought on a warrant of arrest that was issued against him on August 29, 2018. It is alleged that in April 2014 two former bank officials from Malalane and Tonga colluded and reactivated a dormant business bank account of a deceased person. They created new beneficiaries in their relatives’ names in order to transfer money into their accounts where it was consequently withdrawn. The stolen money amounted to approximately R417 000. A case was opened in August 2014 and brought before court. The court ordered for the tracing of the beneficiaries and warning statements were obtained except from Mathe who disappeared having received R40 000. Anyone with information can contact WO Dumisani Patrick Zwane on 071-481-3424.
KaBokweni traffic cop arrested for corruption
BARBERTON - A KaBokweni traffic inspector, Nkosinathi Emmanuel Masina (39), was arrested on charges of corruption by members of the Hawks
Serious Corruption Investigation team in Mpumalanga on Friday April 23. He appeared in the Barberton Magistrate’s
Court on Monday April 26. He was released on R1 000 bail and the case was transferred to the Nelspruit Commercial Crime Court. He will reappear on May 12.
It is alleged that on Thursday
January 30 the complainant was driving a loaded company truck on Badplaas/ Barberton Road when he was stopped by traffic officials. It is further alleged that Masina searched the truck and told the victim that he is not allowed to load people on the back of the truck. Masina allegedly removed the licence disc and demanded R1 500 in order for him to return the disc. The complainant did not have money at the time and Masina struck the truck from the road and promised him that he would get the disc back when he brought him the money. The matter was reported to the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation Nelspruit which led to the suspect’s arrest.