NPA puts the breaks on luxury car bought by Limpopo municipal official
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has seized a Mercedes Benz belonging to David Kgantshi Malepa, an official at Mogalakwena Local Municipality in Limpopo.
The car is registered in the name of Paulinah Mmapule Malepa, the wife to David Kgantshi Malepa.
The luxurious Mercedes Benz GLE 350d Coupé was seized on Tuesday morning, following an application by the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) of the NPA in Polokwane for a Preservation of Property Order.
NPA Regional Spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi, says the Mercedes Benz is believed to be the proceeds of unlawful activities including extortion and money laundering.
"In the papers before court, it was revealed that during 2017, a number of service providers of the Mogalakwena Local Municipality were coerced into paying money to Mercurius Motors in Polokwane for the purchase of the Mercedes Benz GLE 350d Coupe,” says Malabi Dzhangi.
Malepa, the deputy manager of Technical Services, allegedly threatened the service providers to pay money into the account numbers he had provided to the said service providers failing which he would not authorise payments for the services they rendered to the Municipality.
According to Malabi Dzhangi, the service providers paid the total amount of R1 400 000 to Mercurius Motors for the purchase of the said Mercedes Benz motor vehicle.
Malepa registered the Mercedes Benz motor in the name of his wife, Paulinah Mmapule Malepa, who is employed as a teacher by the Department of Basic Education.
"The preservation of property order was obtained as a result of excellent co-operation between the NPA and the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (HAWKS). This case reinforces law enforcements’ commitment to ensuring that no person should benefit from crime," added Malabi Dzhangi.
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