BLOEMFONTEIN – A ward committee member of the Mangaung Metro in Bloemfontein who was found guilty of corruption has been sentenced to either pay a fine or serve ten years’ imprisonment.
The Bloemfontein Regional Court sentenced corruption-accused Neo Khobotlo (36) on Thursday, 7 August. This followed his conviction on charges of corruption.
The court found Khobotlo guilty of corruption for unlawfully selling municipality-owned land to desperate community members. He had served in the ward committee in Grassland Phase 4, Khayelitsha in Bloemfontein.
Khobotlo’s sentencing was the result of probing by the Bloemfontein’s Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation team.
“The court sentenced Khobotlo to a fine of R10 000, or ten years’ imprisonment. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm,” said WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks.
Khobotlo’s failure to pay the fine will result in him going to prison to serve ten years.
Matoti said the elite crime fighting wing took over the case for further investigation after the accused’s arrest by the Mangaung Metro Municipality Law Enforcement Agency for Public Safety. He was arrested on 6 February.
“The Mangaung Metro Municipality Law Enforcement Agency for Public Safety received a complaint about a ward committee member selling municipality-owned land to community members for R6,000. The Hawks took over the case for further investigation, resulting in sentencing of Khobotlo,” said Matoti. She said a complaint about the accused selling municipal-owned land was received early in January.
