A Hawks official and a Tembisa hospital employee are expected to appear before the Pretoria magistrate’s court on Monday to face corruption charges related to the ongoing investigations into the R2bn looting spree from the facility.
Hawks spokesperson Brig Thandi Mbambo said the pair was arrested on Sunday after they allegedly attempted to bribe an investigating officer who is tasked with investigating the R2bn looting spree that occurred at the hospital in an attempt to avoid the employee’s prosecution.
On Sunday, the Hawks member and the Tembisa hospital official met with the complainant and the investigator in the case and handed over R100,000 cash as gratification.
— Brig Thandi Mbambo, Hawks spokesperson
“On Sunday, the Hawks member and the Tembisa hospital official met with the complainant [an investigating officer] and the investigator in the case and handed over R100,000 cash as gratification.
“An operation authorised by the director of public prosecutions was subsequently executed by the DPCI’s (Hawks) serious corruption investigation unit, leading to the arrest of both the sergeant and the Tembisa hospital official.”
Mbambo said the Hawks remains committed to upholding transparency, accountability, and the rule of law and remains steadfast in the fight against corruption.
In September, Special Investigating Unit boss Andy Mothibi revealed that 15 Tembisa hospital employees were involved in corruption, money laundering, collusion and bid rigging to benefit the syndicates that looted the R2bn.
He said hospital managers received substantial payments from various syndicates, allowing them to embezzle more than R2bn.
Sowetan
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