East London | Wednesday
THE East London Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday issued a warrant of arrest for suspended police media officer Captain Sibongile Ndyoko after he failed to appear in court on a charge of theft.
Ndyoko (33) is charged with stealing R2 100 in June last year, which he allegedly took from police funds allocated for the 2000 Police Star of the Year function.
He allegedly transferred the money into his personal bank account. Ndyoko, who was on the function organising team, allegedly applied for the money in advance from the police finance department and failed to repay it on the day of the function.
This was noticed when Country Rose Restaurant owner Tertia Elizabeth De Kock reported to another communication officer, Superintendent Eddie Watson that she had not been paid for use of the venue for the function.
Watson withdrew money from police finances, paid De Kock and then opened a theft case against Ndyoko.
Investigating officer Inspector Mabali Siko said on Tuesday he did not know where Ndyoko was.
Ndyoko was recently charged with armed robbery at the Oriental Plaza in East London after a fish monger was robbed of cellphones, watches and prepaid phone cards valued at about R35000 on December 1.
Due to insufficient evidence, the local magistrate’s court temporarily withdrew charges against him on March 5. The docket was sent to the Director of Public Prosecution for a final decision.
Ndyoko is still facing another charge of failing to keep his service pistol in a safe place after it was found to be with a friend in Mdantsane in January.
Meanwhile, in other news, two policemen, a Home Affairs official and a SA Revenue Services inspector were arrested on corruption charges in Mpumalanga on Wednesday, the Department of Home Affairs reported.
Departmental representative Leslie Mashokwe said the men were apprehended in the early hours at the Mananga border post, where they worked. No details of the alleged crime were immediately available, he said.
”A warrant of arrest, issued by the Barberton Magistrate’s Court, indicates the crime took place late last month,” Mashokwe said. – Sapa