A man who masqueraded as an official from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and demanded R250‚000 from former Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius to quash his murder conviction‚ has been arrested by the Hawks.
The scam ended with the arrest of a 33-year-old man in Pretoria on Friday afternoon‚ after the Hawks launched an operation to catch the suspect.
The scam ended with the arrest of a 33-year-old man in Pretoria on Friday afternoon‚ after the Hawks launched an operation to catch the suspect.
Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said in a statement the arrest was made “soon after he received a deposit of R40‚000 for his services which included to have Oscar Pistorius’ murder case destroyed”
“The suspect was arrested next to the Pretoria High Court and he has been charged with corruption.”
Further charges cannot be ruled out‚ the Hawks said.
The suspect will appear at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday.
Pistorius‚ who is out on bail of R10‚000‚ is due back in Pretoria High Court next month for fresh pre-sentencing arguments.
He lost his Constitutional Court application against the appeal court for his conviction being changed to murder from culpable homicide. Oscar was in prison for a year before being released on correctional supervision in October last year.
The appeal court’s ruling came almost three years after Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp‚ later stating he mistook her for an intruder. He fired four shots into the door of a toilet cubicle in his Pretoria home on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
“The suspect was arrested next to the Pretoria High Court and he has been charged with corruption.”
Further charges cannot be ruled out‚ the Hawks said.
The suspect will appear at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday.
Pistorius‚ who is out on bail of R10‚000‚ is due back in Pretoria High Court next month for fresh pre-sentencing arguments.
He lost his Constitutional Court application against the appeal court for his conviction being changed to murder from culpable homicide. Oscar was in prison for a year before being released on correctional supervision in October last year.
The appeal court’s ruling came almost three years after Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp‚ later stating he mistook her for an intruder. He fired four shots into the door of a toilet cubicle in his Pretoria home on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
By: Farai Diza
RSS Feed
