Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department deputy chief, Julius Mkhwanazi and Ekurhuleni City Manager Kagiso Lerutla, appeared in court on Monday.
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
Details have emerged on the criminal charges against suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department deputy chief, Julius Mkhwanazi and Ekurhuleni City Manager Kagiso Lerutla, who both appeared in court on Monday.
Mkhwanazi and Lerutla appeared in the Boksburg Magistrates’ Court on Monday accused of orchestrating the audacious scheme in March 2019 in which a person was allegedly paid to impersonate Lerutla in a court case.
It is alleged that Lerutla skipped a court appearance in a traffic case and instead sent a paid impersonator “Mr X” in his place, and was helped in his scheme by Mkhwanazi.
According to prosecutors, Lerutla had been charged for a traffic violation and was required to appear in court but he needed to attend a job interview on the same date. Therefore, the State alleged, he along with Mkhwanazi recruited and paid a third party to pose as him.
The impersonator allegedly appeared before the court under false pretences, completing diversion paperwork using Lerutla’s personal details.
This allowed Lerutla to attend an interview for a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) position at the same time. The State contends that this was no minor deception.
Prosecutors alleged that there was a sum of R400,000 in gratification linked to the scheme, pointing to a calculated effort to manipulate the justice system for personal gain.
National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed the details on the incident to the media on the sidelines of the court case yesterday.
Mkhwanazi was arrested at his home on April 18, while Lerutla was apprehended a day later at OR Tambo International Airport upon arrival from Cape Town.
Both men now face charges of corruption, fraud, and defeating the ends of justice. The State has indicated it will oppose bail.
The case was postponed to April 23 for a formal bail application.
The matter comes as Mkhwanazi is facing damning allegations that emerged during his three days of testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. Mkhwanazi faced scrutiny at the commission over his alleged role in death of alleged suspect Emmanuel Mbense, who was allegedly tortured to death by Metro Police officers in April 2022. He was accused of ordering metro police to dump Mbense's corpse into a Brakpan river.
Mkhwanazi has denied any wrongdoing in connection with the incident and other allegations made in the inquiry.
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