Two high-ranking councillors from the Mayoral Council in Emalahleni Native Municipality, Mpumalanga, have been launched on R10,000 bail every after they had been arrested for alleged corruption involving R500,000.
Martha Busi Hlumbani, 55, and Patrick Jerry Dijane, 54, had been launched on strict situations because the court docket warned them to not enter the municipality premises or depart the district with out the data of the investigating officer.
This comes after they had been arrested on Wednesday, April 16, after allegedly accepting bribe cash meant to safe an extension of a lease settlement.
The Directorate for Precedence Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi stated the councillors allegedly acquired a R20,000 money gratification, forming half of a bigger R500,000 demand made to a businessperson looking for an extension of a lease settlement.
It’s alleged {that a} R40,000 cost was additionally made in February 2025, with each transactions shared equally between the suspects.
“The R20,000 that was paid on Wednesday was recovered. Two luxurious autos used in the course of the fee of crime had been seized,” stated Nkosi.
In the meantime, Provincial Head of the Hawks, Main Basic Nico Gerber, welcomed the arrest.
“We’ll at no stage enable folks no matter their positions to counterpoint themselves on the expense of the group. Sincere enterprise persons are compelled to pay bribes to make sure that they will contribute to job creation and employment,” stated Gerber.
“Officers who kind a part of guaranteeing financial progress abuse their positions to profit themselves. Because the Hawks, we are going to by no means cease to eradicate corruption in no matter kind. This could ship a stern warning to officers.”
The investigation into the broader R500,000 bribery scheme is ongoing.
The duo is predicted to make their subsequent court docket look on June 4, 2025.
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