DCEC operative caught red-handed
Ryder Gabathuse | Friday September 21, 2018 14:32
The DCEC investigator was caught in the process of allegedly committing a crime in Maun. Although the DCEC is reluctant to speak about the incident and even state the name of the officer, Mmegi is in possession of the nabbed investigator’s names.
Although this matter is at its infancy, there are fears that it could potentially tarnish the good name of the DCEC as a graft-busting agency, if investigations confirm the involvement of the DCEC investigator in the alleged corrupt practice.
Mmegi investigations revealed that the DCEC investigator was allegedly caught in action recently while exchanging money with an officer from the Department of Road, Transport and Safety (DRTS) whom he was paying to allegedly obtain a taxi permit fraudulently.
It is revealed that the DCEC officer in question was caught in a dragnet ironically mounted by the DCEC team, which also caught about 22 taxis operating illegally through allegedly fraudulently obtaining permits in the tourism town of Maun. It emerged that the main player was the transport officer who is accused of the practice of issuing taxi permits fraudulently, for a fee.
“Oblivious that he was being followed by his colleagues on duty, the DCEC officer was caught in the process of allegedly paying the transport officer an undisclosed amount of money in exchange for a taxi permit,” our Maun-based source revealed recently. The DCEC sent shockwaves in Maun when it arrested and impounded about 22 taxis that were already plying their trade in the area after it emerged that their permits were fraudulently obtained.
The taxi owners were also detained and questioned in relation to the alleged corrupt practice. Several people suspected to have played a role in the fraudulent act were arrested and questioned following a massive operation mounted by the DCEC investigators, which also led to the arrest of the DRTS officer and the DCEC investigator. It is common cause that the DCEC has been battling with corrupt practices implicating DRTS officers ranging from fraudulent issuance of drivers’ licences, fraudulent issuance of vehicle roadworthy certificates; fraudulent issuance of theory tests; receiving bribes; fraudulent issuance of permits; soliciting money from an instructor and mismanagement of licensing forms.
Quizzed about the alleged implication of a DCEC officer in matters of corruption, DCEC spokesperson, Phakamile Kraai said the Maun taxi permits case is under investigation and no one has been charged as yet.
“It’s only after connecting all the leads that we will know who is to be charged,” he said, responding to Mmegi enquiries without answering specific questions asked.
Kraai was very evasive and did not want to answer specific questions relating to the arrest and questioning of his Maun-based colleague.
The question that Kraai deliberately evaded related to clarity sought as to whether anyone from the DCEC office based in Maun was arrested and questioned recently on allegations of corruption.
“Please note that as highlighted in my previous e-mail, investigations on this matter are (also) still under investigations (sic) and that is all the information we can share with you for now,” he said.