Thandwa Johanna Moseneke, a 54-year-old District Court Prosecutor stationed at the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court, was granted R3,500 bail by the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday.
Moseneke faces charges of corruption or, alternatively, defeating the ends of justice in a case that has raised concerns about integrity within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
The allegations came from an incident on July 2021, when a man was arrested for stealing medicine from his employer and processed at Wierdaburg Police Station.
After being released on bail, the man allegedly agreed to pay the investigating officer R5,000 to ensure his case would not proceed to court. Court documents reveal that the man paid R2,000 in cash and later transferred an additional R3,000 via his wife’s account in July 2021.
On the same day, the investigating officer allegedly handed R1,000 to Moseneke in exchange for her not enrolling the case. As a result, the case was declined for prosecution, and the accused never appeared in court.
Representations by employer
The employer, dissatisfied with the non-prosecution, lodged a complaint with police management, triggering an investigation. The probe uncovered that the investigating officer had received the payments and subsequently implicated Moseneke, alleging she accepted money to block the case’s progression.
According to Lumka Mahanjana, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the officer faced internal disciplinary action, was found guilty, and was dismissed from the South African Police Service (SAPS).
On Wednesday, he pleaded guilty to corruption under a plea and sentence agreement, receiving a five-year suspended sentence. During his plea, he confirmed paying money to Moseneke.
Moseneke handed herself over to authorities at Wierdaburg Police Station on 11 September 2025 and was formally charged. The court imposed strict bail conditions, prohibiting her from interfering with state witnesses, travelling outside Gauteng without notifying the investigating officer, committing further offences, or applying for a new passport.
The case has been postponed to December 8, 2025 for further investigation.
Mahanjana said the matter highlights the NPA’s resolute commitment to rooting out corruption, even within their own ranks.
“No one is above the law, and we will act decisively to protect the integrity of the criminal justice system. We are working closely with law enforcement to ensure a thorough investigation and to uphold public trust in our institutions.”
