After 48 court appearances over seven years, a retired senior police officer was found guilty of corruption for selling a memorandum for a senior management post for R70,000. Maj-Gen advocate Thuto Gaogakwe Phefo, aged 62, contravened the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act by offering inside information to a shortlisted candidate for a bribe.
The Hawks spokesperson revealed that the complainant, a former SAPS employee, was approached by Phefo with information about the interview process, asking for R70,000. The complainant paid R48,000 initially and the rest during an entrapment operation. Phefo was arrested in August 2017 and has appeared in court 48 times until his conviction.
The complainant was dismissed from the force, while Phefo took early retirement in 2020 after being acquitted in a departmental case. The Hawks praised the investigation team for their dedication in bringing the case to a conviction, with sentencing scheduled for October 18.
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