Evidence wa ka Ngobeni
A man who was arrested on charges of stealing computers which were to be distributed to North-West province schools was robbed of the equipment before it could be recovered.
Police are not able to explain why they did not take the computers – more than 900 of them valued at R12 000 each – from bottle store owner Costa Thatopolyous when they arrested him last year.
The North-West Department of Education had a contract with Mahem Mausumy to distribute the computers to schools. Mausumy, for reasons unknown, delivered them to Thatopolyous’s private warehouse in Mafikeng.
But the computers were stolen in November, and schools in the province remain without their computers.
Mausumy reported the theft to the police and Thatopolyous and his son were arrested. However, Thatopolyous was released the same day and left Mafikeng with the computers.
On his way to Gauteng, Thatopolyous was hijacked and the computers, which he was moving to a new warehouse, were stolen again. Thatopolyous is reported to have fled the country shortly after he was robbed.
Police sources said the education department and the police “deliberately” sabotaged the investigation into the computer scam.
A senior police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “High level officials and society members were involved in this – that is why the case has not been taken forward.”
He also claims that Wandile Bozwana, the police officer investigating the case, was told to drop it without any explanation.
Education department officials said they suspected there were improper tendering procedures and contracts between departmental officials and Mausumy.
“The department has not been able to explain its contract with Mausumy, and even the tender was not published,” said an official.
“There is something wrong with that contract and the tendering, no one seems to be able to account for those computers.”
The North-West’s education department director for logistics, PS Tlolane said: “I was not responsible for purchasing the computers because I am still new here.”
The department’s deputy director general, Anis Karodia, denied it had a contract with Mausumy.
“This department issued a letter to the said company, instructing it to visit schools and sell its product directly to schools, without reference to this department,” said Karodia.
“No money was utilised by this department and this is an issue that must be raised directly with Mr Mausumy or any other party directly linked with this case.”
When asked why the education department had issued a letter to Mausumy, Karodia declined to comment.