Rustenburg - A court interpreter and a man arrested in connection with the murder of a policeman in Mpumalanga will apply for bail after Christmas, said the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), better known as the Hawks.
"The wife of the late Sergeant Joseph Christopher Kutu, also a Magistrate Court interpreter, Patricia Mabojane Kutu, 28, and her accomplice Vincent Bonginkosi, 39, appeared at Emalahleni Magistrate Court on Tuesday 21 December 2021 and were both remanded in custody to appear again on the 28 December 2021 for bail application," said Hawks spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.
The two were arrested on December 14 and December 16, respectfully, for the murder of Sergeant Joseph Christopher Kutu of Witbank Tactical Response Team, who was shot dead in his house in July 2021.
"This was after intelligence-driven information was received about the whereabouts of the suspect who was wanted for a house robbery and murder of a police officer. The operation was conducted at a house in Siyabuswa A, where the suspect was found and arrested at the back room of the house where he was renting. Further investigation was conducted, and the late member’s wife was later arrested," Captain Sekgotodi said.
In a separate incident, Captain Sekgotodi said Portia Majola, 55, an administration clerk at the department of justice in Secunda Magistrate Court and Thokozile Sophie Nofuya, 55, also employed by the department of justice at Evander Magistrate Court as administration clerk, appeared in court on Tuesday, for fraud and theft.
"It is alleged that during November 2020, the duo colluded and submitted fraudulent claims for witnesses’ transport allowance on behalf of the witnesses who were not even in court on the days written on the documents, and the accused also did not attach prosecutor`s certificates on the forms.
"Internal investigation was established, and the witnesses were interviewed, and they confirmed that they were not in court on the days mentioned on the submitted documents. A case was opened and transferred to the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Secunda for further investigation. During the investigation, the duo were linked to the crime and the department was found to have suffered a loss amount of R15 000."
The two appeared in the Secunda Magistrate's Court on Tuesday and were released on warning.
Their case was postponed to February 1 for legal representation.
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