Government Official Busted by Hawks for Spending R100k on Fuel Using State Petrol Card

Government Official Busted by Hawks for Spending R100k on Fuel Using State Petrol Card

  • The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, or Hawks, captured a state official in Bloemfontein for misappropriating state resources
  • The 48-year-old official used a government petrol card to allegedly fill up his personal vehicle, spending over R100 000
  • Free State Hawks spokesperson Captain Christopher Singo said the man was responsible for fleet and assets at the Director of Public Prosecutions office

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BLOEMFONTEIN - Hawks' serious corruption investigation team arrested a 48-year-old state official on Friday, 4 November, for allegedly misusing a government petrol card.

Hawks arrest Bloemfontein state official
The Hawks nabbed a Bloemfontein government official for spending over R100k on petrol using a state fuel card. Image: Stock photo
Source: Getty Images

A preliminary audit by the Director of Public Prosecutions offices in Bloemfontein revealed irregular transactions processed at a filling station in the Free State city.

Free State Hawks spokesperson Captain Christopher Singo said there are suspicions that the suspect utilised the petrol card to fill his private vehicle with diesel, SowetanLIVE reported.

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According to Khaya FM, Singo said the 48-year-old government official was responsible for fleet and assets at the DDP's office in Bloemfontein.

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Between December 2020 and October 2022, it is estimated that the suspect spent over R100 000. The government official will appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrates court on Friday afternoon and fraud charges.

South Africans react to the Hawk arrest of Bloemfonteinstate official

South Africans congratulated the Hawks on doing well in arresting yet another corrupt official.

Here are some reactions:

@ThaCido88 commented:

"He is not the only one. More pressure placed on others."

@ComradeCadre complained:

"Another criminal in public service. Public servants are lawless criminals. Tax money is wasted on the salaries their salaries, overstaffed criminals."

@JelousJulius

"Good job that our SAPS do in our communities and in our country without them, we're nothing."

Read also

Hawks apprehend two people for Transnet fuel theft after pressure drop indicated pipeline tampering

Hawks arrest two people for Transnet fuel theft after pressure drop indicted pipeline tampering in Vosloorus

In another story, Briefly News reported that a hosepipe connecting a house to a national Transnet fuel pipeline led to two suspects' arrest in Vosloorus on Wednesday, 2 November.

A pressure drop alerted the Transnet depot in Germiston that a pipeline along the N3 highway in Phumula had been tampered with on Friday.

According to Hawks spokesperson Capt Lloyd Ramovha, police intensified surveillance along the N3 highway using the latest technological gadgets upon being alerted of the potential fuel theft.

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Lerato Mutsila avatar

Lerato Mutsila (Current affairs editor) Lerato Mutsila is a journalist with 3 years of experience. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Pearson Institute of Higher Education in 2020, majoring in broadcast journalism, political science and communication. Lerato joined the Briefly News current affairs desk in August 2022. Mutsila is also a fellow of the 2021/2022 Young African Journalists Acceleration programme, which trained African journalists in climate journalism. You can contact Lerato at lerato.mutsila@breifly.co.za