Africa-Press – Liberia. Two former Durban police officers have been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for taking a bribe.The accused were found to have taken a R7 500 bribe while serving as officers.They have since resigned from the police service.
Two former police officers have been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment each for corruption after they were found to have taken a R7 500 bribe to release a suspect.
The Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court handed down the sentence on Monday after finding Sergeant Musawenkosi Mabaso, 48, and Sergeant Thulani Dlangalala, 48, guilty of corruption.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said in May 2018, Mabaso and Dlangalala were instructed to pick up a suspect who was arrested at King Shaka International Airport.
“Along the way, the two officers demanded R7 000 in order to release the suspect for him to go home and come to court the following day. They were paid R4 500 and further demanded a balance of R3 000,” Mhlongo said.
The Hawks were informed and an undercover operation was conducted.
The officers were intercepted after collecting the balance of the money and a search was conducted.
“Members found R7 500 cash that was taken from the complainant and [Mabaso and Dlangalala] were subsequently arrested,” said Mhlongo.
READ | Cape Town cops come under fire for second time in two weeks
Mabaso and Dlangalala were charged with corruption and defeating the ends of justice.
“They immediately resigned from the police after they were released on bail. A prosecution guided investigation yielded positive results when they were convicted on 1 March 2021,” he added.
The KwaZulu-Natal Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation provincial head, Major-General Lesetja Senona, welcomed the sentence.
“This is a very good lesson to those police officers who are abusing their authority and bringing the name of the South African Police Service in disrepute. We are determined to clean up our own organisation and put all perpetrators where they belong,” he said.
Source: News24
