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The Deputy National Commissioner for Human Resources Management of the South African Police Service, Lieutenant General Bonang Mgwenya, has been released on bail after being charged with corruption, fraud and money laundering.
The charges against him relate to a dubious rand 86 million contract to equip police cars with blue lights, sirens and radios that he allegedly helped power in 2016. In return, he is said to have obtained nearly R500,000 in bribes.
The Investigation Directorate (ID) swooped down on Mgwenya early Monday morning. He was jogging when they reached his home and returned to a convoy of police cars.
She appeared on the dock several hours later, dressed in an elegant black suit and gold suede, with a matching watch and earrings. Members of the media in court saluted Mgwenya but she ignored them.
The state did not object to his request for bail, which ended up being set at R20,000.
Mgwenya is due to return to court next month when he will be joined by more than a dozen defendants in the case, including former acting police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane.
The remainder is made up mainly of other police officers, but local businessman Vimpie Manthatha, whose company, Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement, won the tender, and two of Manthatha’s employees have also been charged.
ID spokesperson Sindisiwe Twala said on Monday that the tender in question had been valued at a total of 191 million rand and that 65 million rand had already been paid when authorities intervened.
Twala said the police officers charged in connection with the award of the tender had “completely ignored the competitive tendering process.” This, he continued, in exchange for various benefits.
Manthatha apparently won over Mgwenya by putting R440,000 of her own money into buying a BMW X5 for her. In an affidavit filed in support of the bond, Mgwenya said Monday that police had since impounded the vehicle.
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