A director in the Department of Passport Services in Teya-Teyaneng, Tšepo Moeketsi, appeared before court yesterday charged with corruption. Moeketsi, 55, of Ha-Foso in Berea district was released on free bail. He will appear again in court on September 4. He was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly soliciting a bribe from a woman who was applying for a passport.
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Police spokesperson Inspector ’Mareabetsoe Mofoka confirmed the incident last night.
But she declined to comment further on the matter.
“I don’t want to say much as this could interfere with the case,” Insp Mofoka said.
The Berea District Administrator (DA), Phahlane Makoko, also confirmed the arrest.
Makoko did not want to say much about the matter as it is already in the hands of the police.
Police sources said the woman approached the passport office applying for a passport.
But the director asked her for a M1 500 bribe to facilitate the issuance of the travel document, the source said.
However, she did not have the money and went to the DA to seek help.
The source said the DA gave her M500 to give it to the director and thereafter informed the police.
And when the woman returned to the passport office to hand over the money, Moeketsi allegedly fell into the well-organised police trap.
He was immediately arrested and will face a charge of bribery in court.
The spokesperson of the Ministry of Home Affairs, ’Marelebohile Mothibeli, said she was not aware of the matter.
The arrest of the director happened at a time when Basotho are in dire need of passports to cross to South Africa to look for jobs.
For years, there have been rumours that passport officers were demanding bribes to facilitate the issuance of passports.
But it was difficult to bring the perpetrators to book so that they could face the wrath of the law.
Majara Molupe
