Mpumalanga businessman to be sentenced for bribing SIU officer
The Mbombela Magistrate’s Court is expected to sentence businessman Sipho Mapalala for attempting to bribe an investigator from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
The officer was offered R50 000 in cash by Mapalala to cease an investigation into an irregular Covid-19 contract awarded to local businessperson Gugu Bulunga.
Mapalala was arrested in August 2021.
The arrest followed an SIU investigation into the Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads, and Transport which uncovered procurement irregularities to the tune of R4.8 million for pest control tender in the Ehlanzeni District.
"The disinfection services were for buildings owned and managed by the provincial government. After the disinfection, the service provider received multiple payments amounting to R4.8 million,” the SIU said in a statement.
"The SIU investigations also revealed that immediately after the first payment, the service provider started transferring large amounts of money to various entities and individuals.
"One of the entities that received money then made various payments which were traced to a Mpumalanga based law firm and two employees of the Department. The law firm bought a property to the value of R2.2 million and registered it in the name of a daughter of one of the two departmental officials.
In August 2021 the SIU interviewed Bulunga, who is the director of Mbombela Integrated, and Thandolwani Transport and Properties.
"Bulunga was questioned about payments made to government officials and properties bought for government officials. Bulunga denied the allegations.
"Hours after the interview, Mapalala called an SIU investigator to declare that he is prepared to do anything to make the matter against Bulunga to go away,” the SIU added.
Mapalala subsequently entered into guilty plea with the NPA.
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