CENTURION: Four more suspects implicated in the fraudulent issuing of driving licences have been arrested in Lephalale, Limpopo by the anti-corruption wing of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigations (the Hawks).
This is a follow-up to three major operations that were conducted in Lephalale, Thabazimbi and Bela-Bela driving licence testing stations where twenty-three (23) suspects were arrested in February this year.
In an unexpected twist of events, an examiner of licences who was part of the 23 suspects nabbed in February was re-arrested yesterday together with three other suspects.
This suspect was previously caught red-handed while processing the applications of two learner licence applicants and declaring them competent while they were not present in class.
All four suspects who include an examiner of driving licences, a former examiner of driving licences and two driving school operators appeared in the Lephalale magistrate court on fraud and corruption charges and were released on bail ranging from R3000 to R8000. They are expected to appear in court again on the 8th of June.
A process of identifying all applicants who benefitted from the corrupt practices at the three driving licence testing stations is currently underway as investigations continue.
In another incident, a Tshwane Metro Police official was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment or R8000 fine by the Pretoria magistrate court.
This came after the officer Mr. Danny Malesela Mokoka entered a plea bargain with the state in which he admitted that he had solicited and accepted a R50 bribe in 2017.
The RTMC CEO Advocate Makhosini Msibi has welcomed the arrests and called on members of the public to report fraud and corruption.
Bribery, fraud and corruption related to traffic policing and driving licence matters can be reported by sending an anonymous email to [email protected] or a WhatsApp message to (083) 293 7989