The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has re-arrested its own investigator after he allegedly interfered with accused persons in criminal cases that he had been assigned to investigate before being axed from duty.
Hardly three months after his first arrest by the security agents on bribery allegations, the investigator has, once again, been re-arrested by agents from his own organization.
Information passed to Sunday Standard suggests that Martin Lebakeng, the former DCEC investigator, was re-arrested last week on Thursday.
It is alleged that Lebakeng solicited for money in exchange for favours that would end up being prejudicial to the state cases.
The Public Relations Officer of the DCEC, Lentswe Motshoganetsi, confirmed the arrest.
“DCEC re-arrested its former investigator, Martin Lebakeng, last week on allegations that he interfered with persons in cases he was investigating before he resigned from DCEC,” Lentswe said.
Allegations are that, after his first arrest by the security agents, he was interdicted and was asked to write a resignation letter for allegedly putting the organisation in disrepute.
It is not yet clear as to how many accused persons Lebakeng has so far contacted, compromising investigations of their cases.
Motshoganetsi said the case is still quite fresh but Lebakeng is likely to appear before the Magistrate Court sometime this week.
He explained that sometime in May this year, Lebakeng was arrested by the police on bribery allegations, which resulted in his suspension until he resigned last month.
Motshoganetsi warns the public that Lebakeng is no longer an employee of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime.
He said that Lebakeng, who was suspended from duty on the 12th May 2011, pending allegations of bribery and corruption, resigned from the DCEC on the 3rd August 2011.
Motshoganetsi further encourages the public to refuse and desist from any DCEC related dealings with Lebakeng.
