3 Police Officers Get 4-Year Sentence for R3000 Bribe Case, Court Refuses to Grant Suspended Sentences

• Four former police officers were sentenced to four years in prison for participating in corrupt activities
• The officers had stopped a vehicle during a stop-and-search operation in 2016 and demanded a bribe after seeing suspected drugs in the car
• They were arrested in 2021 after the victim reported the incident, and the state prosecutor argued that their actions were planned, not spontaneous

PRETORIA - Three former police officers will spend four years in prison for participating in corrupt activities worth R3000.

Johannes Tebogo Mpete (39), Lesiba Richard Mapela (43), and Matsobane Victor Kwanaite (41) were handed a sentence of direct imprisonment by the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday.

Police officers convicted for 2016 corruption

In a statement seen by Briefly News, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana says on 14 February 2016, the police officers stopped the occupant of a vehicle during a stop and search operation in Mabopane.

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The cops noticed a white powdery substance in the vehicle and told the occupant to pay a bribe of R5000 to avoid arrest. The police officers then drove the man to Marula Shopping Centre, where he withdrew R3000.

One of the officers exchanged phone numbers with the man to organise payment of the remaining bribe money. The man reported the police officers, but they were only arrested in 2021.

"The complainant reported the matter, and after investigation, all three police officers were arrested at their place of employment in 2021," said Mahanjana.

State prosecutor says police officers' actions were planned

According to Mahanjana, the accused pleaded not guilty to the crimes. At sentencing, Mpete asked the court for a wholly suspended sentence, and Mapela and Kwanaite asked for correctional supervision.

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However, state prosecutor Advocate Willem Van Zyl said the police officers had a responsibility to uphold the law and not break it. He added that the crime was not done in the spur of the moment but was planned, reports SowetanLIVE.

Van Zyl stated they had enough time to reconsider the criminal act and chose not and should be granted direct imprisonment.

IPID arrests 7 Gauteng police officers for robbing a café of more than R250k and assaulting employees

Briefly News previously reported that seven Gauteng police officers are expected in the dock on Monday, 31 July, after they were arrested for robbery and assault.

According to IOL, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) arrested the police officers on Friday, 28 July, after they handed themselves in at the Benoni Police Station.

The seven cops reportedly terrorised managers and staff members at LM Café in Nigel, Ekurhuleni.

Source: Briefly News