Africa-Press – Lesotho. RAMABELE Seboka, the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offenses (DCEO)’s investigator caught in a sting operation last week, had become notorious for demanding bribes.
thepost understands that Seboka, 41, had been using his position to blackmail and demand bribes from innocent people for years. His modus operandi was to tell his targets that they were being investigated for corruption but he could make the case disappear if they paid him.
Sources say his bribes ranged from M30 000 to M150 000. The DCEO had long suspected he had gone rogue because of his opulent lifestyle but could not nail him.
The DCEO also had some information about several people he had fleeced but the DCEO did not have enough evidence because the victims were not willing to come forward.
Seboka’s luck however ran out a few weeks ago when he approached Mokebe Ribisone. Using his old trick, Seboka told Ribisone that the DCEO was investigating him for corruption but he could make the case go away for M150 000.
A few days later, Ribisone walked into the DCEO offices to find out why he was under investigation. When the DCEO officers said he was not being investigated, Ribisone narrated his encounter with Seboka.
And so a trap was set. The officers instructed Ribisone to tell Seboka that he was ready to pay up. They agreed to meet at Ha-Bua-Sono, just outside Maseru.
The DCEO gave him M3 400 in bills whose serial numbers were known. Seboka found himself surrounded by DCEO officers, the police and the army minutes after he had received the money.
He was remanded out of custody on a M2 500 bail and M50 000 surety on Tuesday after being charged with bribery, corruption, extortion and abuse of office.
DCEO boss Knorx Molelle told the media soon after the sting operation that Seboka’s arrest was testament that the anticorruption unit is cleaning its house by getting rid of bad apples that have soiled its reputation.
“This guy (Seboka) has been doing this since a long time ago,” Molelle said, adding that he started “cleaning house” as soon as he was appointed in February.
“I told my colleagues here, upon my arrival, that they must stop engaging in crimes or else they would be in for a high jump”.
He said Seboka has received lots of money from his victims. ‘’People should stop paying these people, DCEO will not be used to settle selfish agendas by its investigators.
“He would take the information we have and use it to get money for his own benefit”.
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