A Mpumalanga man has earned himself a four-year jail stay for attempting to bribe a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) official to drop a personal protection equipment (PPE) case against his sister.
Sipho Mpendulo Mapalala, 33, was sentenced on Thursday.
Hawks spokesperson Col Katlego Mogale said he pleaded guilty to corruption in January.
“The accused was arrested by the Hawks’ national serious corruption investigation unit and the Special Investigating Unit in Nelspruit [Mbombela], Mpumalanga, during a joint operation that was conducted on August 9 2021,” said Mogale.
“The accused was arrested after offering and handing over R50,000 to the complainant, an SIU official, to have a case against his sister disappear. Mapalala was trying to protect his sister who is in the employment of the department of public works in Mpumalanga.”
Man jailed for attempting to bribe SIU official to quash sister’s PPE case
Image: 123RF/Allan Swart
A Mpumalanga man has earned himself a four-year jail stay for attempting to bribe a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) official to drop a personal protection equipment (PPE) case against his sister.
Sipho Mpendulo Mapalala, 33, was sentenced on Thursday.
Hawks spokesperson Col Katlego Mogale said he pleaded guilty to corruption in January.
“The accused was arrested by the Hawks’ national serious corruption investigation unit and the Special Investigating Unit in Nelspruit [Mbombela], Mpumalanga, during a joint operation that was conducted on August 9 2021,” said Mogale.
“The accused was arrested after offering and handing over R50,000 to the complainant, an SIU official, to have a case against his sister disappear. Mapalala was trying to protect his sister who is in the employment of the department of public works in Mpumalanga.”
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The SIU official reported that Mapalala had requested to meet her.
“They met and the accused requested the SIU official to make the case against his sister disappear. Upon finalising the amount, Mapalala went to collect the money ... and on handing over the gratification, he was arrested,” said Mogale.
Mogole said R63,600 was also found in Mapalala’s possession which was “seized”.
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