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A Free State traffic officer found guilty of taking bribe, has been made to pay the price of breaking the law. The Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court sentenced the officer, Tshiya Desmond Pule (43), from Bloemfontein to effective five years’ imprisonment without an option of a fine.
The sentencing on Monday, 15 April, ended the trial which has been ongoing since September 2019 following Pule’s arrest by the Bloemfontein Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team. His sentencing was the result of an investigation by the elite crime fighting wing. Pule, who will swap the traffic officer uniform for the orange uniform of prison, had been out on bail of R3 500.
Col Zweli Mohobeleli, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said the court found Pule guilty on two counts of corruption, demanding gratification.
“Pule was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for each count of corruption. The sentences will run concurrently,” said Mohobeleli. He said that in addition, the court declared Pule unfit to possess a firearm.
Mohobeleli said Pule was arrested after a complainant blew the whistle, exposing the corruption.
“On 29 August 2017, a female complainant reported that Pule had demanded R500 gratification from her to avoid being arrested for a traffic violation. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the accused had demanded a further R1 500 from another victim. Members of the Bloemfontein Serious Corruption Investigation team collected evidence and presented their case before the prosecution. The latter authorised a warrant for Pule’s arrest, resulting in him being sentenced,” said Mohobeleli.
Gen. Mokgadi Bokaba, provincial head of the Hawks, has welcome the sentencing, saying: “We thank those who exposed the officer’s corrupt ways.”
The accused was an employee of the department of community safety, roads and transport.
