The accused person a Bangladesh national Lufer Rahman aged 42-years-old was convicted for corruption and sentenced to seven years imprisonment with the option to pay a fine of R70 000-00 in Giyani Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday 23 May 2023.
The Court heard that the two Bangladesh nationals Lufer Rahman and Ulla Rafiq solicited a well-known community member Mr Edmon Mbetse to influence the family of a minor rape victim to withdraw a case against their fellow citizen and subsequently promised Mr Mbetse a gratification of R5000-00 and R15000-00 to the family of the victim.
This corruption activity emanated from a case of rape of a minor that occurred in Namakgale which was committed in 2022 by a Bangladesh male suspect.
The whistle blower Mr Mbetse reported the matter to the police.
The Anti-Corruption Unit received the intelligence, gathered the Team and operationalized the information. The team managed arrest Ulla and Lufer for corruption on the same day on Friday 3 June 2022 in Phalaborwa.
The court granted both Lufer and Ulla R2000-00 bail each on Monday 13 June 2022.
Lufer Rahman on Tuesday when he appeared before Giyani Magistrate Court pleaded guilty on the charges of corruption and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm whilst the case was withdrawn against Ulla Rafiq by the state.
