EASTERN CAPE- Sergeant Sonwabile Nogwebela (33), Mr Loyiso Gcasamba (36) a Public Prosecutor and Mr Mkhangeli Nqayana (46) a Legal Aid Attorney appeared in Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Thursday, 12 of August 2021 for allegations of corruption.
It is alleged that during March 2020, Mr Antonio Augusto Nhazomeo a Mozambique national was arrested for rape and appeared before the Magistrate at Cofimvaba Magistrate’s Court where he was denied bail on 7 April 2020.
It is further alleged that Mr Nhazomeo was approached by Sergeant Nogwebela who at the time was stationed at Cofimvaba Police Station as a Court Orderly telling him that he was sent by a Prosecutor Mr Gcasamba about his bail application which could be arranged again and that he had to arrange an amount of R6000 as payment.
Mr Nhazomeo is reported to have been taken to court on 9 April 2020 where he was granted R1000 bail.
Further allegations are that Mr Nhazomeo paid an amount of R6000 to Mr Nqayana who is a Legal Aid Attorney representing him during the bail application.
A further demand is reported to have been made from Mr Nhazomeo by Sergeant Nogwebela and Mr Gcasamba for an amount of R5000 and a further R1000.Mr Nhazomeo is reported to have been instructed to make the further payments through deposits at Spar Supermarket.
Mr Nhazomeo lodged a complaint with the East London Serious Corruption Investigation team for probing which culminated in the arrest of the trio on 12 August 2021.The trio made a short appearance in Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on the very same day and were released on warning to reappear on 24 August 2021 for legal representation.
