Pretoria - Two Ethiopian suspects appeared at the Secunda Magistrate’s Court on Friday for allegedly bribing a security guard who works at Spar with R100 000, in exchange for him stealing goods worth R250 000 at the supermarket.
Spokesperson for the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, said the two men were arrested on Thursday during a joint operation conducted by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit, K9 Unit and other stakeholders.
Ayela Carbo, 47, and Temsngo Gabor, 42, are said to have approached the guard on April 13 and allegedly asked him to steal from the storeroom and deliver the goods to their shops.
“The security guard employed at HSC security was approached by an Ethiopian national who told him that he knows him from Spar and he wants him to arrange for stock to be stolen from Spar, offering him an initial deal of R250 000 in stock in return for R100 000,” said Sekgotodi.
“They agreed on the deal and the security guard reported the matter to his boss, who further reported the case to Secunda Hawks-based Serious Corruption Investigation (Unit) for further exploration.”
Sekgotodi said a sting operation was arranged and the guard made an agreement with the suspects to deliver the goods to Evander taxi rank on April 20.
“The agent came driving a Spar delivery truck with the stock valued at R250 000 ... The suspect said that he did not have the whole amount as previously agreed and they agreed that he will only get the stock for the amount which he was having.
“The suspect told the agent that he only had R10 000 and they must give him Ricoffy, which they offloaded from the Spar delivery truck to his bakkie and money was handed over as payment.
“The main suspect, together with his accomplice were immediately apprehended upon receiving the money,” Sekgotodi explained.
The case was postponed to April 24 to find an interpreter.
The suspects were remanded in custody for further investigation.
IOL