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Kebone Masange. Photo: Oris Mnisi
NEWS
Mpumalanga Prime Minister Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane served a Zimbabwe-born department head with a notice of intent to suspend him following his arrest, along with a chief prosecutor and a Hawks unit commander, this week.
The trio were arrested on charges of using bribes to drop a false citizenship charge.
The provincial head of human settlements, Kebone Masange (51), was still struggling to clear his name after his arrest last September, on a charge of fraud related to an immigration law violation, when he was arrested again on Tuesday with the two accomplices for allegedly paying a bribe of R33,000 to a higher prosecutor to “quash” the indictment.
The other two are Mpumalanga Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Matric Luphondo (52) and Hawks Major Corruption Investigations Unit Commander Lt. Col. Ayanda Plaatje (45).
The trio allegedly colluded to bribe a prosecutor, attorney Andrew Mphaga, to drop the fraud charge against Masange.
Read: Falcons entered after Mpumalanga’s head of human settlements issued three different IDs
Luphondo reportedly offered Mphaga 5,000 rand in cash that was hidden inside a box of 18-year-old Glenfiddich single malt whiskey on 23 March.
Then, on March 27, Plaatje allegedly offered him R28,000.
When Masange was arrested in Pretoria last year, Mtshweni-Tsipane put him on special leave.
He had not yet returned to work when he broke the law again.
Mtshweni-Tsipane spokesperson Sibongile Mkani-Mpolweni said:
“Masange received a notice of intent to suspend in accordance with fair administrative processes, as described in the Public Service Law and regulations, the Senior Management Service manual and other related prescriptions.”
Luphondo and Plaatje also face internal disciplinary action for their alleged role in this crime.
National Tax Authority (NPA) spokesperson Sipho Ngwema said the NPA had initiated “relevant labor proceedings” against Luphondo, meaning he will be charged and brought before a disciplinary committee.
Hawks spokesman Col. Katlego Mogale said disciplinary proceedings against Plaatje were underway.
The trio received bail of 20,000 rand at Pretoria Magistrates Court on Thursday, with strict orders not to interfere with witnesses.
Masange was initially arrested by internal affairs immigration officials and turned over to the Hawks when information came to light that he had previously claimed to authorities that he was born in Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg and Brits while requesting documents.
Read: Mpumalanga police perplexed after third robbery in human settlements department
At that time, he had lived in South Africa since 1995.
According to the indictment, this is how Luphondo and Plaatje tried to influence Mphaga:
- On March 18, Luphondo telephoned Mphaga and requested a meeting at a McDonald’s restaurant in Arcadia, Pretoria. There, Luphondo allegedly told Mphaga that Masange was willing to do anything to get out of the criminal charge and that they should help him do so.
- On March 23, Luphondo presented Mphaga with a bottle of Glenfiddich whiskey worth 1,500 rand. In the same box there was R5,000 in cash. Luphondo told Mphaga that he would receive more cash soon.
- On March 27, Plaatje asked Mphaga to meet him at the R21 Mandela off-ramp in Fountains. There, he allegedly gave Mphaga R28,000 in cash.
The trio is charged with four counts of violating the Law on Prevention and Combat of Corrupt Activities.
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