Four court officials found guilty of stealing bail money. The suspects worked for the courts and were responsible for processing and receiving bail payments but instead pocketed the cash.

At the Gqeberha courtsDr Malinga and crew deported, four men were convicted guilty of tampering with the bail system by transferring bail monies into their individual bank accounts.

At the Gqeberha specialised commercial crimes court on Wednesday, Mzikazi Mahlalasa, 57, Letitia Mack, 49, Yonela Ntsaluba, 39, and Nomathandazo Takayi, 52, were found guilty of theft.

Four court officials found guilty of stealing bail money.

A fifth suspect, Nondumiso Waxa, 45, died in March 2019.

The alleged thefts occurred between August 21, 2009, and October 29, 2010, while the defendant was employed by the criminal division of the department of justice and constitutional development in Gqeberha, according to the Hawks.

According to spokeswoman W/O Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, their responsibilities included receiving bail money, issuing bail receipts, recording payments in the accounting system, and attaching duplicates on manual bail receipts to the charge sheet.

“The accused connived and issued bail receipts and never captured the transactions on the accounting system. They instead directed the cash into their personal accounts,” Mhlakuvana said.

According to the Hawks’ investigation, the accused stole more than R92,800. After being detained in 2010, they were released on bond.

“They will be sentenced on July 26,” Mhlakuvana added