The two lawyers are alleged to have bribed a police officer.
Image: File
Two attorneys appeared in the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of corruption following an intensive investigation by the Hawks into an alleged attempt to bribe an investigating officer to destroy a criminal case.
Amukelani Voster Nwandzule, 42, and Rudzani Michael Netshiavha, 49, were served with a summons to appear in court in May by members of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team.
The North West spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula, said this follows an investigation into offering a bribe to a police officer in order to have their client’s case destroyed.
“It is alleged that in July 2020, two suspects were arrested in Rustenburg on charges of theft of diesel and malicious damage to essential infrastructure. Following the arrest of the two suspects, Nwandzule and Netshiavha, as the legal representatives of the arrested suspects, allegedly approached the arresting officer to make bail application arrangements. The pair reportedly indicated that they were instructed by the employer of the two arrested suspects, whose vehicle was impounded as it was used in the commission of a crime,” Mathebula said.
This re-enrolment comes amid a broader crackdown by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Hawks on corruption within South Africa's legal fraternity.
The employer of the arrested suspects allegedly contacted the arresting officer and offered to pay him R30,000 for the destruction of his employees' case and the release of his impounded vehicle.
“The investigation revealed that R30,000 was transferred from a bank account of a company linked to the owner of the impounded vehicle into the bank account of Nwandzule. The accused allegedly made an arrangement to meet with the investigating officer to make the payment,” Mathebula said.
An entrapment was set, which led to the arrest of Nwandzule and Netshiavha after allegedly paying the arresting officer R5,000.
“The accused appeared in court and was released on bail. They made a series of court appearances until their matter was withdrawn in 2021 after the owner of the impounded vehicle, a Zimbabwean national, could not be traced,” Mathebula said.
After careful consideration, a decision was taken by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to re-enrol the matter as the Hawks continue to trace the outstanding suspect. Nwandzule and Netshiavha made a brief court appearance and were released on warning.
The matter has been postponed until July 7.
The head of the Hawks in the North West, Major General Nombuso Khoza, and the Director of Public Prosecutions in North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, have welcomed the re-enrollment of the matter and applauded the investigation and prosecution team for ensuring that the accused are brought to justice.
IOL