A warrant of arrest was issued against former Thohoyandou prosecutor Mr Ratshilumela Leonard Makhado, who faces two counts of corruption and defeating the ends of justice, after he failed to appear before the Sibasa Regional Court on Tuesday, 15 June. Makhado was out on bail.
Makhado (49) was apprehended during an undercover operation by the Limpopo Hawks' Serious Corruption Investigation team in May 2020 while he was allegedly receiving a bribe amounting to R6 000 from a person who faced charges of reckless and negligent driving.
Limpopo Hawks spokesperson Captain Matimba Maluleke said that the money was allegedly meant to make the case "disappear". The alleged kickback was reported to the Hawks, who then conducted an undercover operation and caught him in the act of receiving the money.
Limpopo Regional Director of Public Prosecutions' Ms Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said that the former prosecutor had been summoned to appear in court again on Tuesday but failed to do so.
"His name was called more than three times outside the Sibasa Regional Court and (he) was in default. A warrant of arrest was issued against him and his R5 000 bail was provisionally forfeited to the state. His case was postponed to 6 July," said Malabi-Dzhangi.