PRETORIA – A woman, her son, a retired police officer, and a police station commander have landed in hot water after they were caught allegedly trying to cover up that the driver of a VW Polo that crashed, did not have a driver’s license.
The alleged cover-up occurred after an accident on August 5, 2018 on the R532 Ohrigstad Road between Hlabekisa and Matibidi in Mpumalanga, when a white VW Polo overturned with five passengers inside.
The passengers – three females and two males – were severely injured.
After a police report on the accident was filed, the Hawks found that 22-year-old driver, Ralf Baleseng Mabunele – who did not have a driver’s license – was unlawfully behind the steering wheel, when the car rolled.
The Hawks further discovered that Mabunele’s mother, 50-year-old Makabateng Sylvia Mohlala allegedly colluded with Shibu Neclous Mabiloane – a 44-year-old licensed driver – who allegedly agreed to lie to the police that he was the driver when the VW Polo crashed.
At the police station, the trio allegedly colluded with the branch commander, now accused of tampering with registers and changing the information with regard to identifying the real driver.
The branch commander was allegedly roped into the cover-up by 60-year-old Malamba Frans Khoza, a former branch commander at Dientjie Detectives, who is now a pensioner.
When the alleged cover-up was exposed Mabiloane, Mabunele, Mohlala and Khoza were arrested.
They appeared in the Dientjie Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, and were granted R10 000 bail each.
Their case was postponed to February 10, 2022 for further investigation.
IOL