Prosecutor Accused of Accepting R1,000 Bribe to Dismiss Theft Case Granted Bail
Pretoria – Johanna Moseneke, a 54-year-old District Court Prosecutor, has been granted bail by the Pretoria Specialized Commercial Crimes Court following allegations of accepting a R1,000 bribe to dismiss a theft case.
On Friday, 12 September 2025, the court determined Moseneke’s bail to be R5,000.
She turned herself in at the Wierdaburg Police Station the day prior, where she faced formal charges of corruption and, alternatively, defeating the ends of justice.
According to Lumka Mahanjana, the Gauteng spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the events leading to Moseneke’s surrender stretch back several years.
The allegations indicate that on 17 July 2021, a man was arrested for stealing medication from his workplace and processed at the Wierdaburg Police Station.
However, he was later released on police bail.
“While at the station, he allegedly agreed to pay the investigating officer R5,000 to ensure that his case would not proceed,” explained Mahanjana.
“The man reportedly paid R2,000 in cash to the officer and subsequently, on 20 July 2021, transferred an additional R3,000 electronically from his wife’s account.
“On that same day, the investigating officer allegedly handed R1,000 to Moseneke in exchange for not submitting the case for prosecution,” she added.
Mahanjana noted that the matter was later declined for prosecution and that the accused never appeared in court.
Frustrated by the lack of prosecution, the employer reported the matter to police management.
“An investigation was initiated by the police, revealing that the investigating officer had received money, which led him to implicate the prosecutor, stating that she also received funds to avoid pursuing the case,” Mahanjana reported.
“The officer faced internal disciplinary action, was found guilty, and subsequently dismissed from the South African Police Service.
“He later faced criminal charges and, on 10 September 2025, pleaded guilty to corruption as part of a plea and sentence agreement with the State.
“He received a five-year suspended sentence and confirmed that he paid money to the prosecutor,” Mahanjana noted.
On 11 September 2025, Moseneke surrendered at the Wierdaburg Police Station and was formally charged.
Mahanjana indicated that the court imposed strict bail conditions on the accused.
The imposed conditions are as follows:
- not to interfere with state witnesses,
- not to travel outside Gauteng without notifying the investigating officer,
- not to commit any further offenses, and
- not to apply for a new passport.
The case has been postponed to 8 December 2025 for further investigation.
“The NPA is dedicated to combating corruption, including within its own ranks,” Mahanjana affirmed.
“No one is above the law, and the NPA will take decisive action whenever misconduct threatens the integrity of the criminal justice system.”