Tebogo Msimanga |
The Giyani Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sentenced a former Prosecutor of Thohoyandou Magistrates’ Court, Leonard Makhado Ratshilumela (50) to six years in prison for corruption. This follows an incident in May 2020, when he was arrested at Thavhani Mall in Thohoyandou by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Unit ( HAWKS) during an undercover operation for an alleged bribe to make the case disappear.
Limpopo NPA spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said Ratshilumela demanded R6 000.00 bribe from the parent of the accused who was facing charges of reckless and negligent driving.
“In his plea, he submitted that he accepted gratification of R6 000.00 intending to destroy the docket of the reckless and negligent driving charges which were labelled against the minor child, instead of referring the case to the child justice court”.
Ratshilumela is also facing four counts of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He will appear again in Sibasa Regional Court on 24 January 2023 for trial. “He attempted to kill the witnesses in the corruption case by burning their house with petrol”.
