The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday granted bail of R5,000 each to a prosecutor and two police officers who are facing serious charges of corruption and extortion.
Advocate Avinash Ramapararat, a 45-year-old prosecutor stationed at the Pretoria Specialized Commercial Crime Unit, along with Sgt. Herman Matsabane Mnguni, 46, and Constable Abdul Haig Shaik, 35, are entrenched in allegations involving substantial sums of money.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Accused Five In Meyiwa Trial ‘Pulling Trigger’ Gesture In Courtroom Raise Brows
Details of the Allegations
According to Lumka Mahanjana, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, the trio is charged with two counts of extortion related to amounts of R100,000 and R300,000, as well as two counts of corruption totalling R400,000.
The allegations suggest an intricate scheme where they allegedly extorted money from a businessman who filed a complaint against them. It has been reported that following the arrest of the businessman for fraud on June 28, Ramapararat and Shaik demanded R300,000 from him in exchange for his release.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Security Guard Arrested For Breaking Into Senior Prosecutor’s Office, Stealing Coffee And Sugar
Aftermath and Legal Restrictions
After the businessman managed to secure his release, he was further pressured for more funds, which prompted him to alert the police. This led to a sting operation wherein the complainant paid R100,000 to Sgt. Mnguni, resulting in the arrest of the police officers last week, while Ramapararat was taken into custody shortly after.
The court’s bail release comes with specific conditions, requiring the trio not to interfere with state witnesses and ongoing investigations as the legal proceedings continue.
