Hawks Sergeant Weeps in Court Over Tembisa Hospital Bribe Allegations
A Hawks sergeant, Papi Tsie, was overcome with emotion during his appearance at the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Monday, where he stands accused of soliciting a R100,000 bribe. The alleged bribe was reportedly intended to halt an investigation into corruption at Tembisa Hospital.
Tsie, aged 41, and Zacharia Tshisele, an official from Tembisa Hospital, were apprehended in a sting operation conducted by the Hawks at Menlyn Mall on Sunday. The arrests are linked to the broader R2-billion procurement fraud at Tembisa Hospital, a scandal brought to light by the late whistleblower, Babita Deokaran.
State Advocate Ngoako Mokumo informed the court that the corruption charges relate to "the giving of gratification in respect of a matter where [Tshisele] was investigated for alleged fraud and corruption at Tembisa Hospital." Mokumo emphasised the need to protect potential witnesses from intimidation and interference, stating, "There are witnesses that might assist the state. We want to make sure there are no witnesses to be intimidated and no interference."
Babita Deokaran, who was tragically assassinated in August 2021, had initially raised concerns about the fraudulent procurement practices at Tembisa Hospital. A News24 investigation, titled "Silenced," later revealed how R2 billion had been systematically looted from the hospital through procurement fraud over a two-year period.
During the court proceedings, Tsie, a sergeant in the National Anti-Corruption unit of the Hawks, was visibly distressed, holding his face in his hands and sobbing as he was returned to police custody. Notably, Tsie had previously served as a witness in the high-profile Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, where he was responsible for taking DNA swabs from two of the accused.
Mokumo clarified that both Tsisele and Tsie face charges of corruption for giving gratification, while Tsie faces an additional charge of corruption for allegedly accepting the bribe. The state requested a postponement of the bail application to allow time to obtain the profiles of both accused and ensure the safety of witnesses. Magistrate Aubrey Mphahlele granted the postponement.
Tshisele's attorney contested the reasons for the postponement, arguing that they were not reasonable. They questioned the practicality of the state's plan to verify previous cases and protect witnesses. Tsie's attorneys went further, accusing the state of laziness.
Following the court proceedings, Hawks spokesperson Thandi Mbambo spoke to reporters, stating that investigations were still ongoing. "Maybe [Tshisele] was sent by other people. We still need to establish that. We are not ruling out that possibility," she said.
Mbambo added that the Hawks were continuing to investigate the extensive corruption network, following the release of a three-year preliminary investigation report by the Special Investigating Unit in September. "This is a large investigation with different segments. Other investigations are at the stage where they will be placed before the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and others are ongoing. We have another matter that we have placed before the DPP that is awaiting the decision [to prosecute]," she explained.
The bail application has been postponed until 2 December, allowing the investigation to proceed further. The case has drawn significant attention due to its connection to the Tembisa Hospital corruption scandal and the murder of Babita Deokaran, highlighting the deep-seated issues of corruption within the South African public sector. The outcome of the investigation and the subsequent legal proceedings will be closely watched as they could have far-reaching implications for the fight against corruption in the country.
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