auditor general Eastern Cape family murder

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Bribe gone wrong: Hawks arrest Auditor General SA manager for fraud and corruption

“I am deeply concerned and highly disappointed about this development, it is against the ethical conduct we expect from our employees,” said Auditor General Tsakani Maluleke.

auditor general Eastern Cape family murder

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The Hawks apprehended an employee of the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) at the Department of Home Affairs, on Wednesday, 2 June. The 47-year-old migrant allegedly offered to pay immigration officers a R3000 bribe.

AUDITOR GENERAL EMPLOYEE ARRESTED

According to Hawks spokesperson, Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu, the suspect is the General Manager at AGSA based at the Lynwood office in Pretoria.

The suspect allegedly visited the Department of Home Affairs in Randburg sometime in May to apply for a passport for his 14-year-old daughter’s South African passport.

“Upon systematic interview with the Immigration Officers, the suspect allegedly failed to produce citizenship rights which permitted him to possess a South African smart identity card and also a birth certificate for his said daughter,” said Mulamu.

The suspect also allegedly pleaded with immigration officers to return the identity document – which he apparently has no right to possess – and offered them gratification to the tune of R3000.

Evidently, the Hawks laid a trap for the Auditor General employee, as the Serious Corruption division in Johannesburg, arrested the suspect after the alleged transaction took place at the Home Affairs office on Wednesday.

Spokesperson Mulamu referred to the circumstances which led to the arrest as a “sting operation.”

“Further investigation revealed that both the identity smart card and birth certificate possessed by the suspect were fraudulent,” said Mulamu.

The suspect was subsequently charged with fraud and corruption and is expected to appear in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

The Hawks head in Gauteng, Brigadier Wendy Mashwabane, praised the team for attending to the alleged criminal activities by the AGSA General Manager. “…we appreciate the immigration officers for not falling prey to perpetrators who allegedly break the law to get what they want,” said Mashwabane.

‘DEEPLY CONCERNED AND HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED’

Tsakani Maluleke, the auditor-general of the country, said the allegations brought against one of the employees are very serious and will not be taken lightly.

“I am deeply concerned and highly disappointed about this development, it is against the ethical conduct we expect from our employees,” said Maluleke.

“We hold all our employees to the highest standards of ethics and professionalism, therefore crime is not acceptable and we must allow the law to take its course.”