Pule waga Mabe A top official at Technikon Northern Gauteng appeared before the Pretoria Regional Court this week on charges of fraud and corruption. Rakgadi Sebothoma, head of the institution’s campus protection services (CPS), has been accused, among other things, of stealing over R500E000 from technikon coffers and defrauding an outside security company, Protection Portfolio Security (PPS). Sebothoma has also been accused of installing a technikon alarm system at her home. According to court papers Sebothoma, who was arrested two weeks ago by the police’s special investigating unit, the Scorpions, allegedly also used her position as head of security at the technikon to pocket over R25E000 every month. Scorpion members presented evidence in court showing how Sebothoma, a former guerrilla with Umkhonto weSizwe (MK), fraudulently created “ghost” security guards and then charged the technikon thousands of rands for non-existent services. The evidence reflected that about R45E000 was paid to PPS as salaries for 10 officers, who, the Scorpions claim, were non-existent. The payment was allegedly fictitious and was paid to Sebothoma. Last week when she was arrested, the Scorpions confiscated, among other things, a fraudulent time sheet of the ghost security guards that included former MK members, her relatives and people who worked with her husband in the Gauteng Department of Health. Investigations suggested that Sebothoma used her powers as head of security to persuade the vice-rector of finance, Alf Mashego, to authorise a requisition for the installation of a security gate at the control room. It emerged after the requisition was processed that the electrical motor gate and striker lock gate for pedestrians would be fitted at Sebothoma’s private home. According to the Scorpions Sebothoma allegedly also promised PPS a three-year contract with the technikon if the company bought her a car. The Scorpions opposed her bail application on the grounds that she intimidated witnesses and had an illegal firearm. The Mail & Guardian reported recently (“‘Giants in science’ on rocky ground”, August 4 to 10) that Sebothoma had been given special leave after students burned two buses and demanded her immediate expulsion. The technikon had already established a task team that is being paid about R60E000 to verify the charges levelled by the students against her.
While in custody Sebothoma allegedly had a cellphone in her Pretoria Silverton prison cell that, the Scorpions claim, she used to phone key witnesses in the case. This, they, say has been another factor disrupting their investigation.
On Thursday the Pretoria Regional Court granted Sebothoma bail of R15E000. Her passport has been confiscated and her trial will resume in February.