Eight years for SAPS admin clerk who let culpable homicide docket vanish

A former police administrative clerk was sentenced to an effective eight-year jail term for corruption by the Johannesburg specialised commercial crimes court on Friday 

Vasvanthan Govender’s duties included updating dockets on the police CAS system, ensuring case dockets were assigned to investigating officers and fingerprints forwarded to the local criminal record centre. 

On March 30 2022, Govender solicited and received a bribe of R3,500 from an accused, Soondaram Naidoo, who was charged with culpable homicide after a nine-year-old child was accidentally killed.  

“He promised Naidoo that the docket was destroyed to abort prosecution. The accused reported the matter to the authorities and Govender was arrested,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said. 

As a result of his actions, the culpable homicide case against Naidoo was withdrawn. 

Govender was charged with corrupt activities relating to public officers and defeating the administration of justice and sentenced to eight and three years' imprisonment respectively. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently, resulting in eight years' direct imprisonment.  

“The NPA and SAPS remain steadfast in their mission to uphold the law and will continue to prosecute public officials for corruption as they undermine government efforts in their resolute action to rid the system of corruption,” Mjonondwane said. 

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