Ex-cop sentenced for corruption related to COVID-19 traffic fines

The Plettenberg Bay Regional Court has sentenced former police officer, Ralston Petersen, to an effective six-year direct imprisonment after being convicted of corruption, fraud, and defeating the ends of justice relating to traffic fines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eric Ntabazalila, Regional Communications for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), said the court ordered the accused to pay R800, which was the proceeds of corrupt activities in terms of Section 18 Act 121 of 1998.

The court convicted Petersen on four counts of corruption, two counts of fraud, forgery, and defeating the administration of justice. His case was set down for plea and trial due to commence between 06-09 October last year, but the accused tendered a guilty plea by way of Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Act last year. He was convicted on all eight counts based on his written guilty plea.

Senior State Advocate Delano Coerecius, of the Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit in George, told the court that Petersen was a member of the South African Police Services (SAPS) for 16 years and at the time he worked as a court orderly.

On April 10, 2020, he approached Izaakir Choonara, who was issued with a R3,000 traffic fine for breach of COVID-19 regulations while travelling on the N2 highway close to Sedgefield. He informed the complainant that ‘he could sort him out’ by quashing the traffic fine in exchange for money. The complainant did not pay the accused on the day.

“The accused and Choonara met on 21 and 22 September 2020, where they discussed two additional fines, and the accused accepted R800 as payment of the fines,” said Ntabazalila.

“The accused also produced three additional fines and requested an additional payment of R600. Between September 28 and  October 7, 2020, the accused prepared written representations on behalf of the complainant and submitted them to the prosecutor who was dealing with traffic offences at the time.

“The accused forged the complainant’s signature as if it were his and informed the prosecutor that he was merely assisting the complainant.

“He manipulated the traffic fines by inserting handwritten sums as if they were a reduction, thereby misleading the complainant into paying these reduced sums. In truth, the court did reduce the fines following a legal process.”

Ntabazalila said Coerecius argued the accused abused his position of authority and directed his conduct to misrepresent to an integral part of the criminal justice system, namely, the NPA.

“He misrepresented these payments to the complainant as legitimate amounts required to settle outstanding traffic fines.”

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