EASTERN CAPE – The East London Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation has charged a 29-year-old inmate with perjury and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
The accused was charged on 27 February and appeared before the Makhanda Magistrate’s Court on the same day.
The charges instituted criminal proceedings against an inmate following the discovery of material falsehoods contained in sworn statements relating to an alleged conspiracy to commit murder of senior Correctional Services officials, the Hawks said in a statement.
On 4 February information was received concerning a purported conspiracy involving two senior officials attached to Waainek Correctional Centre.
“Owing to the gravity of allegations that implicated senior correctional personnel posed a potential risk to institutional governance and public confidence, the matter was prioritised and subjected to rigorous investigative scrutiny,” the statement read.
“Moreover, obtained evidence yielded substantive inconsistencies between the deponent’s sworn version and verified communication activities. The investigative findings further established reasonable grounds to believe that false statements had been deliberately made with the intention to mislead the investigation and influence judicial processes.
“Such conduct, if left unchecked, had a potential to distort the administration of justice, compromise institutional integrity, as well as undermine the credibility of legitimate investigative efforts.”
Following comprehensive probing a criminal case was opened against the inmate from Waainek Correctional Centre. Initial sworn affidavits and supporting documentation led to the arrest of the suspect.
The culprit was formally charged for perjury and attempt to defeat the ends of justice. Due to the sensitivity of the matter the identity of the accused will not be revealed.
The accused appeared before the Makhanda Magistrates’ Court on 27 February. The matter was remanded to 27 March to allow for the continuation and finalisation of outstanding investigative processes.
