Driving licence scam widens
Innocent Selatlhwa | Thursday May 11, 2017 18:00
Seven examiners at the Department of Road Transport and Safety (DRTS) are also being quizzed in a scam that has crippled licensing centres countrywide.
Two months ago Mmegi reported that five DRTS examiners in Gaborone, Molepolole and Mahalapye were arrested for allegedly selling drivers’ licences.
The arrests led to a shutdown of licensing services at those three DRTS centres. Investigations then led to more arrests and suspension of operations in practical centres in all DRTS stations around the country.
Yesterday, police confirmed their net had since widened.
“The number of drivers we are questioning has risen to 40 while that of examiners now stands at seven.
The investigations are still ongoing. Nobody has appeared in Court yet.
“We want to conduct thorough investigations before submitting for prosecution,” police spokesperson, Witness Bosija said.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications recently announced that it had suspended 19 officers on suspicion of corrupt practices at DRTS.
“The corrupt practices the officers are implicated in range from fraudulent issuance of drivers’ licences; fraudulent issuance of road worthy certificates; fraudulent issuance of theory tests; receiving bribes; fraudulent issuance of permits; soliciting money from a customer and mismanagement of licensing forms,” the Ministry said previously.
Yesterday, the Ministry’s spokesperson, Oteng Mokowe said disciplinary hearings for the suspended officers would commence today.
Mmegi sources said those officers facing charges of fraudulently awarding drivers’ licences gave people marks when they never undertook a road test. Others would be given marks without having sat for a theory test.
“Some were using automatic cars and would be given marks as if they were using manual cars,” the sources said.
“The licence classes in question vary from light duty vehicles, to heavy duty and in some instances, ,extra heavy duty.”