Prosecutor, two cops in court to face corruption and extortion charges

Advocate Avinash Ramapararat, a prosecutor stationed at the Pretoria specialised commercial crime unit, and two police officers who allegedly received bribes to make a case go away appeared in the Pretoria magistrate’s court on Friday to face corruption charges. 

The case against Ramapararat, 45, Sgt Herman Matsabane Mnguni, 46, and Const Abdul Haig Shaik was postponed until Monday for bail judgment. 

They are facing two counts of extortion involving R100,000 and R300,000 and two counts of corruption totalling R400,000. 

“It is alleged that they extorted money from a businessman who is the complainant in the matter against them,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said. 

The businessman was arrested and charged with fraud on June 28. 

“After his arrest it is alleged that Ramapararat and Shaik requested the businessman to pay them R300,000 in exchange for his release.”   

The businessman called his business partner who subsequently paid them.      

After persistently being asked for money after his release, the businessman reported the matter to the police. 

A trap was set where the complainant paid R100,000 to Mnguni.   

The trap led to the arrest of the two police officers last week. The prosecutor was arrested on Thursday. 

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