Municipal worker nabbed in sting

A VETERAN municipal employee has been charged with corruption after being caught allegedly extorting money from a Verulam businessman.

The 46-year-old man, who said he was an inspector with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture, was nabbed during a sting operation last Thursday.

He appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court and is out on bail. He was driving a marked municipal vehicle when he allegedly went to the home of the complainant, Salim Khan.

According to Suren Balram of Trans Natal Flying Squad, his security company had assisted Crime Intelligence officers in effecting the arrest at Khan’s home.

Balram said the man, who said he had 25 years service with the municipality, initially denied he extorted money from Khan and appeared jittery when informed that photocopies of the R2 000 in notes given to him were made to record the serial numbers. The sting operation was also captured on video by an undercover policeman who pretended to be Khan’s friend, Balram said.

According to Khan, the man arrived at his home on August 24 in a marked municipal van.

“I am doing renovations and he said a neighbour complained that the builder was disposing of the rubble in a park across the road. The man said law enforcement officials from the municipality would be visiting my home to issue a fine. I accepted I was in the wrong and told him there was nothing I could do,” said Khan.

“About 10 minutes before two law enforcement officers arrived at my home on August 27, the man had called to warn me. He said I would not be issued with a fine but would be given a warning.”

Khan said the officers arrived and handed him a fine of R300 for illegal dumping.

“I had no problem with this as I was guilty of an offence.”

But the man called again and asked Khan what had transpired. “I told him I was issued with a fine but he said he wanted to come to my home to see it for himself. He arrived later that afternoon again in his work bakkie.”

Khan said he had used property near his home to park his fleet of vehicles.

“When the man saw this, he remarked that this was municipal land and I was parking illegally. I told him I wrote to the municipality for use of the land and awaited feedback.

“He told me if I gave him R2 000 he would sort things out. I smelled a rat so I told him, ‘let’s see what we can do’.”

Khan said the man left but often called him about payment.

“I always told him that things were bad and I had no money. But I knew I was going to do something about this situation.

“I would rather pay a R2 000 fine than give money to someone asking for a bribe.”

That is when Khan contacted Balram and a sting operation was set up.

Khan said the man called him last Thursday morning.

“I told him I had the money and he said he would come to my house at around 1.30pm.”

By then, each bank note was photocopied and unbeknown to the man, an undercover policeman pretended to be Khan’s friend and videoed the incident.

“We had an informal conversation and I handed over the money. He put it into his pocket and I told him I hoped this was the last. He said it was.

“As he stood up to leave, Suren and the police walked in. He pleaded with them to leave him as he had a family and 25 years of service with the municipality. I felt bad for him but this had to be done as he could have tried it with other people.”

Added Balram: “He initially denied the allegations until we told him to compare the serial numbers on the money to the photocopied versions. He was arrested that same day and charged.”

Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said the municipal worker was arrested and a case of corruption was opened at the Verulam police station.

The head of Parks, Gardens and Culture, Thembinkosi Ngcobo, said he was not aware of the incident. “But if this is what happened, we will let the police investigate the incident.”