Some court officials in the Eastern Cape have been released on bail after they were accused of selling fake travel permits.
The three court officials were arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) also known as Hawks on Wednesday, 12 August on 2020.
The suspects, Thobeka Zuma (41), Wandile Jokozela (40) and Lazola Mxaka (36) were attached to the Clerk of the Court office.
They were accused of selling travel permits to people who wanted to travel through the town of Sterkfontein under level 3 of the lockdown.
National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) spokesperson, Luxolo Tyali said “the trio is alleged to have been fraudulently issuing and selling travel permits during the COVID-19 national lockdown to people wishing to travel through the border town of Sterkspruit, which is on the preferred route to the Free State and Gauteng provinces”.
They were nabbed after they tried selling a permit to an undercover police officer.
“They allegedly charged between 150 and R200 for each permit they issued, using the court stamp”, Tyali added.
He said the suspects could likely get more charges added against them in their next appearance in court.
They are to appear in court on 18 September 2020.
