The corruption trial against traffic officer Lefu Ntlangoe (45) will continue in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court, today (7 November). The matter pertains to allegations of taking a bribery of R1 500 from a driver who was driving a truck with an expired license disc.
Ntlangoe stands trial alone after his co-accused Melisa Kgoma (32) pleaded guilty to charges during her appearance on 21 October. The two officers are employees of the provincial Department of Police, Roads and Transport. The pair was on duty conducting a patrol in Bultfontein at the time of the bribery incident during April this year.
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson of the Hawks, said the two officers were arrested after the truck driver blew the whistle. Acting on information received, the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team, together with the K9 unit based in Bloemfontein, pounced on the two state law enforcement agents. “They were found in possession of the R1 500 they demanded from the truck driver,” said Singo.
Kgoma’s case ended with her pleading guilty to charges of corruption, and received a sentence option. Singo said she was given the option to serve two years’ direct imprisonment or pay a fine of R20 000 on a monthly instalment of R2 000.
In a separate case, two traffic officials of the Mangaung Metro Municipality, Letebele Rampai and Martha Tsoenyane, well-known as Mamoruti, were acquitted of similar charges on 18 October. The case related to an allegation of taking a bribe from a foreign motorist, who was reportedly asked to produce his passport and a gratification of R1 400 in order to have his vehicle released from impoundment. The pair have been on trial since April 2021 following their arrest by the Hawks.
Machini Motloung of Legal Aid SA, Bloemfontein bureau, represented Tsoenyane while Kabelo Matee from Matee Attorney, represented Rampai. Both attorneys have expressed their relief on the favourable outcome against their clients.
