MPUMALANGA - France Malamba Khoza (62), a former police captain was on 26 June 2023 sentenced by Nelspruit Regional Court for Corruption, Fraud and Defeating the Administration of Justice. An accident occurred on the 05 August 2018 where a VW Polo overturned at Mitibiti with 05 occupants including the driver. The accident scene was attended by a Police Sergeant and Constable stationed at Dientjie Community Service Centre of the South African Police Service (SAPS). They recorded everything on Accident Report form and all injured persons were taken to different hospitals for medical treatment.
A docket was opened and an investigator who was also a Detective branch commander at Dientjie SAPS at the time, Captain Khoza colluded with Sylvia Mohlala who was a mother to the driver of the VW Polo, Ralph Mabunele, with intentions to defraud Road Accident Fund (RAF). Captain Khoza allegedly obtained a warning statement from Neclous Shebu who was not a passenger nor even present at the crime scene on the day in question.
Hawks Investigation was conducted that led to the arrest of four suspects, Captain France Khoza, Sylvia Mohlala, Ralph Mabunele and Neclous Shebu. Sylvia Mohlala and her son Ralph Mabunele were sentenced by Nelspruit Regional on 04 August 2022 to six months imprisonment or R3000-00 fine for corruption, twelve month imprisonment wholly suspended for defeating the administration of justice and twelve months imprisonment wholly suspended for Perjury. The charges were withdrawn against Neclous Shebu.
Khoza, the former police Captain was sentenced to six years imprisonment for corruption, four years imprisonment for fraud and three years imprisonment for defeating the administration of justice.