Pretoria - Two Beitbridge border post security officers arrested for alleged corruption have been remanded in custody in the Musina Magistrate’s Court.
Tshilidzi Samuel Masutha, 35, and Ronewa Makhovha, 31, were remanded until February 2, for a formal bail application.
According to the Hawks’ provincial spokesperson, Captain Matimba Maluleke, the pair was arrested on January 26 by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation members on allegations of corruption, theft of a motor vehicle, contravention of Section 88 of the Customs and Excise Act 91 of 1974, and defeating the ends of justice.
He said on December 18 last year a suspicious international truck driver Kholisani Nkomo was allegedly stopped by SA Revenue Service (Sars) officials at the Beitbridge border post search point.
“It is reported that the truck was impounded for a mandatory search, but the driver promised the officials a gratification for the release of the truck.
“While Sars officials were still busy with the process of impounding the truck, a Fidelity company security official allegedly approached and persuaded them to accept gratification, but they refused.
“The truck was eventually impounded and kept under the watch of another security official, who allegedly abandoned his post, which resulted in the disappearance of the truck.”
After an investigation by the Hawks together in collaboration with Sars’s anti-corruption members, warrants of arrest were authorised against the suspects.
Nkomo was already arrested on December 27 at Beitbridge on his way back from Gauteng.
He was remanded in custody until he was released on R3 000 bail by the Musina Magistrate’s Court on January 26, 2022.”
Pretoria News