Nkululeko Ngcana, who once worked at the Phuthaditjhaba magistrate’s court as a prosecutor, has been found guilty for two crimes he committed in 2017 and 2020, respectively.
According to the Hawks spokesperson in Free State, Captain Christopher Singo, Ngcana had instructed one of his accusers to pay R600 fine on behalf of a suspect, but as a prosecutor he pocketed the loot instead of paying it to the court clerk.
In the same modus operandi, he repeated his wayward behaviour and told a police officer who was also in trouble with law to give him R500 to be paid to court as an admission of guilt with a promise to withdraw the charges, but he took the money and kept it to himself.
The suspect, whom Ngcana had extorted money from in 2017, was facing charges of operating a motor vehicle with a fraudulent license disc while the police officer faced charges of reckless and negligent driving.
Singo said: “The 2017 suspect agreed to pay that amount of R600 as persuaded by Nkululeko Ngcana. Later, the suspect realised that Ngcana did not withdraw the charges against him as agreed. He then reported the matter to the senior public prosecutor.
“In January 2020, a police officer who was accused on a charge of reckless and negligent driving gave Ngcana R500 to pay on his behalf for admission of guilt. Ngcana took the R500 from the accused, but he did not pay it to the court.
“The police official received summonses to appear in court for failure to pay the admission of guilt fine. Upon enquiry in court, he found out that Ngcana did not pay. He also reported the matter to the senior public prosecutor.”
Singo explained further: “Upon revelations of the theft and corruption allegations against Ngcana, the matter was then reported for a further probe. Ngcana was arrested on Valentines Day, 14 February 2021 and he appeared in court on several occasions culminating in his recent conviction and sentencing.
“The court fined Ngcana R60 000 on a charge of corruption or five years imprisonment, and another R60 000 on a charge of theft or three years imprisonment. Both sentences were wholly suspended for five years on condition that he is not found guilty of the same offence during the period of suspension. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.”
Singo added that if the prosecutor fails to pay the R120 000 fine, the suspended sentence will be revoked and he will be sent to prison for eight years.
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