News / Local
Bulawayo man offers cops R1 million bribe
22 Feb 2013 at 06:30hrs | Views
A Bulawayo man who was last Sunday found with gold worth about $7 000 at his house without a licence allegedly offered police officers a bribe of more than one million rand.
Norman Peter Gardiner (71) of 14723 Imbalala Road Selborne Park who was found with gold weighing 137,8 grammes worth about $6 862, is alleged to have offered police officers a bribe of 1,1 million rand but they turned it down.
On the same day Gert Johannes Drederek Erasmus (55) was arrested at a toll gate near Esigodini after he was found with gold weighing more than 6kg worth more than $300 000 again without a licence.
Erasmus was intercepted at the tollgate after police got information that he was fleeing the country to South Africa with 6,112 kg of gold.
The duo separately appeared before the Magistrate in-Charge of Matabeleland North and Bulawayo Provinces, Mr John Masimba on Wednesday.
They were not formally charged with contravening Section 3 (1)(3) of the Gold Trade Chapter 21:03, which prohibits possessing gold without a licence while Gardiner faces an additional charge of bribery.
The State led by Mr Jeremiah Mutsindikwa opposed bail saying the duo would be allowed to make bail applications on their next remand appearance on 6 March.
Allegations against Gardiner are that, as police conducted a physical search at his house, they recovered smelted gold from a gun cabinet.
Gardiner allegedly failed to produce a licence authorising him to possess or deal in gold.
The court heard that he tried to buy his liberty by offering police a bag full of money and begged that the detectives take the bag and leave his gold.
It is alleged that the police informed him that it was a chargeable offence to bribe police and seized the bag, which had about 1,12 million rand. The gold was weighed at the Criminal Investigation Department Minerals Unit and it weighed 137,8 grammes, worth $6 862.
After getting information that Erasmus was on his way to South Africa, detectives from the Border Control and Mineral Unit laid an ambush at the tollgate.
The court heard that when Erasmus, who was driving a South African registered Mercedes Benz, arrived at the tollgate and police approached him, he was about to pay tollgate fees and requested to search his vehicle.
Police recovered 120 000 rand and a blue bag with about 38 pieces of smelted gold in different sizes and stashed in a small black box.
The court heard that Erasmus failed to produce a licence and was arrested on the spot.
The 6,112 kg of gold is valued at $304 098,12.
Norman Peter Gardiner (71) of 14723 Imbalala Road Selborne Park who was found with gold weighing 137,8 grammes worth about $6 862, is alleged to have offered police officers a bribe of 1,1 million rand but they turned it down.
On the same day Gert Johannes Drederek Erasmus (55) was arrested at a toll gate near Esigodini after he was found with gold weighing more than 6kg worth more than $300 000 again without a licence.
Erasmus was intercepted at the tollgate after police got information that he was fleeing the country to South Africa with 6,112 kg of gold.
The duo separately appeared before the Magistrate in-Charge of Matabeleland North and Bulawayo Provinces, Mr John Masimba on Wednesday.
They were not formally charged with contravening Section 3 (1)(3) of the Gold Trade Chapter 21:03, which prohibits possessing gold without a licence while Gardiner faces an additional charge of bribery.
The State led by Mr Jeremiah Mutsindikwa opposed bail saying the duo would be allowed to make bail applications on their next remand appearance on 6 March.
Allegations against Gardiner are that, as police conducted a physical search at his house, they recovered smelted gold from a gun cabinet.
Gardiner allegedly failed to produce a licence authorising him to possess or deal in gold.
The court heard that he tried to buy his liberty by offering police a bag full of money and begged that the detectives take the bag and leave his gold.
It is alleged that the police informed him that it was a chargeable offence to bribe police and seized the bag, which had about 1,12 million rand. The gold was weighed at the Criminal Investigation Department Minerals Unit and it weighed 137,8 grammes, worth $6 862.
After getting information that Erasmus was on his way to South Africa, detectives from the Border Control and Mineral Unit laid an ambush at the tollgate.
The court heard that when Erasmus, who was driving a South African registered Mercedes Benz, arrived at the tollgate and police approached him, he was about to pay tollgate fees and requested to search his vehicle.
Police recovered 120 000 rand and a blue bag with about 38 pieces of smelted gold in different sizes and stashed in a small black box.
The court heard that Erasmus failed to produce a licence and was arrested on the spot.
The 6,112 kg of gold is valued at $304 098,12.
Source - TC
