RETIRED POLICE OFFICER SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS FOR CORRUPTION
The Mbombela Commercial Crimes Court has convicted and sentenced a retired police officer, Frans Malamba Khoza (62), to 10 years imprisonment for corruption, fraud, and defeating the administration of justice. Khoza was the investigating officer in the reckless and negligent driving matter, which happened on 5 August 2018, on the R532 Ohrigstad Road, between Hlabekisa and Matibiti.
The driver of the vehicle was unlicensed, and lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn and four passengers were severely injured. A case docket of reckless and negligent driving was registered. The mother of the unlicensed driver, Sylvia Mohlala colluded with the accused, Frans Malamba at Dientjie police station, to portray another person as the driver of the vehicle, so that they could claim from Road Accident Fund and share the money.
Khoza was charged alongside his co-accused Ralph Mohlala (unlicensed driver), Sylvia Mohlala, and Neclous Shebu. There was a separation of trials, and Slyvia and Ralph Mohlala pleaded guilty to the charges and were duly convicted and sentenced. Charges against Neclous Shebu were withdrawn. Frans Malamba Khoza thereafter pleaded guilty to charges of corruption, fraud, and defeating the administration of justice.Advocate Pareen Vahed argued that the fact that the accused committed such serious offences whilst he was a police officer, makes it an aggravating factor and a message needs to be sent out that crimes involving government officials, will not be dealt with lightly and the only appropriate sentence would be a lengthy term of imprisonment.
He was sentenced to six years imprisonment for corruption ,four years imprisonment for fraud, and another three years for defeating the administration of justice.
The court ordered the sentences imposed to run concurrently.
The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the conviction and sentence.
