Eastern Cape Community Safety director, Neil Naidoo, will face multi-million rand bribery charges when he goes on trial from January 15 to 19, 2024, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
NPA Investigating Directorate national spokesperson, Sindisiwe Seboka, said the trial would be held in the East London Regional Court.
“Naidoo stands accused with businessperson Kenny Govender and Matthew Pillay. The trio is alleged to have attempted to bribe investigating officials attached to the NPA's Investigating Directorate with R3.5m.
“The alleged bribery was an attempt to halt their investigation into a R69m national police tender that they were allegedly involved in.
“The trio faces charges of corruption and defeating the ends of justice,” she said.
Meanwhile, a court interpreter in the North West, Victoria Tepo, has been sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for corruption by the Lichtenburg Magistrate's Court
According to Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula, in August 2016, the 47-year-old Tepo and her accomplice, who died during the course of the trial, solicited a R5 000 bribe from a complainant to make the docket disappear.
“An undercover operation was conducted by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation, leading to their arrest soon after accepting the gratification from the complainant.”
After making a series of court appearances, the accused was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to four years imprisonment, half of which is suspended for five years. The accused will therefore serve an effective two years’ direct imprisonment,” added Mathebula