Accused appeared in court for allegedly demanding gratifications in order to release suspects.
A 37-YEAR-old court interpreter, Joseph Moroka, appeared in the Hartswater Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on charges of fraud and corruption.
Hawks Northern Cape provincial spokesperson Nomthandazo Mnisi said the accused, who is employed at the Pampierstad Magistrate’s Court, was arrested at his workplace following an investigation.
“It is alleged that between June 2016 and October 2017, Moroka contacted the sister of a suspect in a stock theft case and demanded a gratification of R2,500 in order to release her brother. In a separate, but related incident, Moroka allegedly approached a drug suspect’s mother and demanded gratification of R1,000 in order to release the suspect,” said Mnisi.
“The accused has been granted bail of R3,000 and the case was postponed to March 2021.”
