Pretoria court convicts former Home Affairs official of corruption

The Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in the Pretoria CBD convicted a former adjudicator at the Permit Section of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), Phanuel Mokomo, on one count of corruption yesterday.

Mokomo offered an internal investigator a bribe of R10 000 to stop the probe into his corrupt activities.

Gauteng Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale says Mokomo’s conviction stems from an investigation into the irregular issuance and approval of permits at DHA.

“The matter was reported to the Serious Corruption Investigation component of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) on September 20, 2018.”

Mogale says an entrapment operation was authorised and executed in terms of Section 252A of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977.

“The operation culminated in Mokomo being caught in the act of offering the R10 000 gratification to the internal investigator of the DHA. He was arrested and charged with corruption,” she says.

Mogale says after numerous court appearances, Mokomo was found guilty of corruption yesterday.

The case has been postponed to February 18 for sentencing.

She adds that the conviction underscores the DPCI’s commitment to combating corruption, particularly in cases that threaten the integrity of public institutions such as Home Affairs.

“The successful entrapment and prosecution demonstrate the importance of inter-agency collaboration in holding public officials accountable.”

Mogale says the DPCI commended the dedicated efforts of its members, the prosecution and the internal investigators at the DHA, whose collaboration was instrumental in achieving the conviction.

“The DPCI remains steadfast in its mission to root out corruption and ensure the integrity of public service delivery,” Mogale says.