Corruption: Prosecutor goes to jail for taking a bribe to destroy docket

A former prosector has been jailed for four years after being found guilty of corruption for asking for a bribe in order to destroy a criminal’s case docket.

The Giyani Specialized Commercial Crime Court sentenced Molatelo Herbert Serumula, 46, a former prosecutor, to four years direct imprisonment this week after he was convicted of the charge.

He previously worked as a prosecutor at Morebeng Magistrates Court. He was arrested on 19 November 2018 after he demanded a bribe from a complainant, in exchange for an offer to destroy a case docket.

National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson for the province of Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi said that the complainant had been arrested for allegedly being in possession of suspected stolen property and Serumula had told him to pay a bribe of R2000 for the case docket to disappear. 

“The complainant gave him R1 500 and the case was withdrawn. Serumula kept on demanding more money from the complainant and further requested that he buy him a vehicle,” Dzhangi said.

“The complainant then reported the matter to the Serious Corruption Investigation Unit (the Hawks),” he said.

Serumula’s arrest swiftly followed the Hawks’ investigation into the corruption allegation that had been laid against him.

Dzhangi said the state had argued in court in aggravation of sentencing that Serumula has been convicted of a serious offence that was prevalent and which, above all, had placed the reputation of the National Prosecuting Authority in disrepute. He had accepted R1 500 while he held the office of public prosecutor, thereby, undermining the organisation. The matter was prosecuted by senior state advocate, Mashudu Muliwa  

Dzhangi said that the National Prosecuting Authority welcomed the sentenceing of the former prosector in the hope that it would serve as a deterrent to other officials who were expected to uphold the law of the land.