Two sentenced for 2020 matric exam paper theft
Themba Daniel Shikwambana, 36, and Thobile Sweetbetter Duze, 48, pleaded guilty to theft.
The Hawks said on November 16 2020, the department of basic education received information about a possible leak of a mathematics matric exam question paper. The department was alerted via a WhatsApp photograph which was later verified and confirmed to be a true copy of the 2020 Mathematics Paper 2 exam paper.
Investigations revealed some pupils in Limpopo and Gauteng confirmed receiving the leaked paper via WhatsApp. The matter was then reported to the Hawks' serious commercial crime investigation team based in Pretoria for further investigation.
'On November 25 2020, Shikwambana, who was working at a printing company in Johannesburg where exam papers were printed, was traced and arrested in Orange Farm.
'Further investigation led to the arrest of Duze on June 10 2021 in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal,' Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Christopher Singo said.
The accused appeared in court on several occasions culminating in their recent conviction.
The court sentenced Shikwambana and Duze to a fine of R100,000 or 12 months' imprisonment, of which R50,000 or six months' imprisonment is suspended for five years on condition that they are not convicted of the same offence during the period of suspension.
The court ordered them to pay the fine of R50,000 in monthly instalments of R5,000 on or before April 2026.
TimesLIVE
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
9 hours ago
- The Citizen
Cops charged with kidnapping Chinese national out on bail
The officers each face charges of kidnapping, corruption and defeating the ends of justice. Two Gauteng police officers accused of unlawfully detaining and extorting a foreign national have been granted R1 000 bail each. Constable Gift Mncedi Nteso, 33, and reservist Constable Seipati Mofokeng, 39, appeared in the Vereeniging Magistrate's Court on Friday following their arrest on Tuesday. They allegedly detained a Chinese national at the Sharpeville police station and demanded R3 000 ransom from family members in order to secure the victim's release. They each face charges of kidnapping, corruption and defeating the ends of justice. Hawks investigates tip-off According to the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS), a senior police official informed the Vaal Rand-based Serious Corruption Investigation unit of the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks) of the arrest. 'An investigation was immediately launched and verbal 252A authorisation (entrapment) was secured from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions in Pretoria to monitor the transaction,' JCPS said in a statement. ALSO READ: Former Northern Cape cop jailed for housebreaking Before Nteso and Mofokeng could collect the full amount, the Hawks were informed that a R1 000 payment had been made and the victim had been released. They allegedly released the Chinese national without filing any formal record of arrest at the police station. Police officers arrested at police station Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela said the investigating team went to the Sharpeville police station to execute the arrest. 'The two suspects were arrested after failing to provide satisfactory reasons as to why the Chinese national was arrested and released with no record,' Mavimbela said. Nteso and Mofokeng are expected to appear in court again on 1 September. NOW READ: Chinese nationals fined R400k for abalone worth almost R2m
The Citizen
11 hours ago
- The Citizen
Hawks push ahead with Polokwane Municipality corruption case
POLOKWANE – The corruption probe into the affairs of the Polokwane Municipality will continue despite a key segment of the broader investigation being struck off the Limpopo High Court roll in the city on Tuesday due to interlocutory issues. This assurance came from the head of the Hawks in Limpopo, Maj Genl (Adv) Gopz Govender, who spoke to Polokwane Observer shortly after Judge Jane Ngobeni ruled that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) was not positioned to proceed with an urgent application compelling the municipality to hand over its gift register. The register was to be examined for potential irregularities involving Mayor John Mpe and his Makoro Foundation. Read more: Court strikes Hawks' Polokwane gift register bid Ngobeni ruled it fair to allow all legal respondents, including legal representatives of Mpe, his foundation, the municipality and municipal manager Thuso Nemugumoni, to first finalise a related interlocutory application also before the court. The Hawks have since indicated their intention to re-enrol the urgent application within the next month, anticipating that the other matter will have been resolved by then. This development comes in the wake of explosive claims circulating on social media, alleging that over R700m in municipal tenders were irregularly awarded to relatives and associates of Mpe and Nemugumoni. Read more: Polokwane mayor faces deadline over tender kickback claims The municipal manager also faces allegations of awarding a R56m tender to a Zimbabwean national with which she reportedly has close ties. Mpe, while conceding the foreign-owned company had likely been paid through a joint venture with a local entity, in recent weeks denied any wrongdoing. As speculation intensifies, the municipality's leadership has dismissed the allegations as a political witch-hunt aimed at undermining Mpe's leadership and the foundation's achievements. Govender, however, stressed that the Hawks' investigation is impartial and driven by evidence, and not public opinion or political pressure. You might also want to read: ActionSA opens corruption case against Polokwane mayor 'Our investigation is not about targeting individuals or being influenced by public commentary. What goes to court is not information or intelligence, but evidence, and we are confident in the evidence we've gathered,' he stated. Mpe did not respond to Polokwane Observer's request for comment by the time of publication.
The Herald
12 hours ago
- The Herald
Limpopo man sentenced to life in prison more than decade after raping 12-year-old girl
A Limpopo man has been sentenced to life in prison more than a decade after raping a 12-year-old girl in the Bolobedu area near Tzaneen. Nelson Letsoalo, 46, was convicted in the Tzaneen regional court on Thursday after an investigation by the family violence, child protection and sexual offences (FCS) unit. According to provincial police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba the incident happened in 2013 when the minor was visiting her grandmother in Khapamadi Section under Bolobedu policing area. 'The victim went to a shop that was next to the tavern and Letsoalo, who was known by the victim as a cleaner, called her to come inside the tavern,' said Ledwaba. 'The accused forced the victim to lay on the floor and she was raped. Afterwards, Letsoalo threatened the victim with death if she told anyone about it.' The child later disclosed the traumatic incident to her mother in January 2020, which led to an immediate report to local police. Letsoalo was arrested the next day on January 5 2020 at his home in Kgapane and the matter was immediately transferred to Tzaneen FCS. 'The accused made numerous court appearances until he was granted R1,000 bail,' Ledwaba said. Despite the time that had passed, Letsoalo was found guilty of rape of a minor and sentenced to life in prison. Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe welcomed the court outcome. TimesLIVE
