/ 11 February 2005

Officer goes AWOL to work as top prison official

A South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Lance-Corporal has been arrested for being absent without leave after he had started working for the Correctional Services department as an assistant director.

The News24 website reported that Mukondeleli Eric Sieda (33), a magazine

clerk in the munitions depot in Centurion, was arrested on Thursday.

He was nabbed where he worked in the office of the correctional services’ regional commissioner for the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces in Pretoria.

His new post was equal in rank to a Lieutenant-Colonel in the military.

In January, Sieda was arrested for allegedly being involved in a car theft syndicate.

The gang allegedly stole vehicle parts worth R5,4-million from the SANDF.

He was released on bail.

The SANDF retained Sieda because the criminal case against him had not been concluded, which is in line with defence force regulations.

However, he disappeared on February 1 and took up his new job.

Sieda may now have to forfeit his bail in the theft case. – Sapa