DUO SENTENCED FOR ROADWORTHY CERTIFICATES CORRUPTION

Photo: Tladi Jacob Letaba

Supplied

Photo: Thato Phumulane Mbonane

Supplied

By: Neo Ntsele

Taxi driver, Tladi Jacob Letaba 48, and a vehicle examiner at a testing centre in Port Elizabeth, Thato Phumulane Mbonane 37, were sentenced for corruption, fraud, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

The sentence was announced by the Ficksburg Magistrates' Court last week on Monday 3.

They had been out on R5 000 bail each.

The accused were arrested in October 2021 during a Hawks operation conducted in Ficksburg by members of Serious Corruption Investigation.

The detectives were reacting to disturbing information about a group of people working in cahoots to issue fraudulent vehicle roadworthy certificates.

Vehicle owners as far away as the Eastern Cape were being issued certificates for vehicles that were never presented at the testing station for a physical check by examiners.

A mere R1 100 was enough to pay for the certificate and grease the hands of those involved.

Tladi Jacob Letaba was sentenced to six years imprisonment, which is wholly suspended for five years, for corruption.

On the charge of fraud, he was fined R20 000 or six years imprisonment, half of which is wholly suspended for five years.

A further five years imprisonment, which is wholly suspended for four years, was imposed for conspiracy to commit crime. His co-accused, Thato Phumulane Mbonane was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, which is wholly suspended for five years, for corruption.

He was fined R40 000 or eight years imprisonment, half of which is suspended for five years, for fraud.

A further five years imprisonment, which is wholly suspended for four years, was imposed for conspiracy to commit crime. Seven other accused, who were arrested during the same operation, will be back in the Ficksburg Magistrates' Court on 12 August 2024.

Acting Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Brigadier Xolani Matroos said similar operations were conducted in other parts of the Free State resulting in a number of suspects being brought before the courts.

"The Hawks are always watching. Their sharp claws are ready to descend on any traffic officer, vehicle examiner, owner, and driver involved in corruption," said Matroos.