Delmas Court Postpones Case of Retired Officer Charged with Evidence Tampering

Delmas Court Postpones Case of Retired Officer Charged with Evidence Tampering

  • A 60-year-old former SAPS member is accused of evidence tampering after he threw out exhibits collected during an illegal mining operation
  • Samuel Mahlangu, who signed for the items when they were logged at the SAPS 13 exhibits register, claimed he was unaware that the items were exhibits
  • The former Warrant Officer appeared before the Delmas Magistrate Court, where his case was postponed to 27 June 2024

Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered Mpumalanga crime and current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.

Retired police officer Samuel Mahlangu faces evidence tampering charges after throwing away items collected during a raid.
The Delmas Magistrate Court postponed the case against pensioner and former cop Samuel Mahlangu, who is accused of disposing of evidence. Images: Getty Images/Stock Image and Hawks/Supplied.
Source: UGC

The case against a retired police officer accused of tampering with evidence from an illegal mining investigation has been postponed to 27 June 2024.

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Former Warrant Officer Samuel Mahlangu, accused of evidence tampering and defeating the ends of justice, appeared before the Delmas Magistrate Court on 18 June 2024.

According to the Hawks, on 1 August 2023, members from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation and the National Crime Intelligence seized gold-bearing materials from illegal mining activities. The Hawks said that the 60-year-old signed for the items when they were logged at the SAPS 13 exhibits register at the Delmas SAPS. Spokesperson Captain Dineo Sekgotodi said that a day later, a member of NCI went to retrieve the evidence, but Mahlangu claimed he was unaware that the items were exhibits:

“He further showed them where he dumped the exhibit in a bin used for garbage at the back of the Police Station without disposal order entry made.”

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Sekgotodi said a probe was instituted, after which Mahlangu was served to appear before the court.

Mzansi residents stunned by pensioner's case

Some South Africans were surprised that law enforcers pursued the retired officer w

Danisile Ngobeni said:

Vaku landza hambi uri ka retirement. yoo kubi mus [They follow you even in retirement; it's bad.]"

Lucky Master Malomane commented:

"If Icala aliboli was a person [If a case doesn't rot was a person]."

@khula_elc added:

"#Asbonge"

@Gusta1942 suspected:

"I am sure that is not all that goes missing in a police station. What about confiscated guns, alcohol, dockets, etc? They even go grocery shopping in police vehicles and use them as taxis, etc. This police force is a joke."

Johannes Mabapa said:

"His eyes are begging for acquittal — apologetically. Show him mercy."

Western Cape police officer arrested for killing teenager

Briefly News previously reported that a SAPS member stationed in the Western Cape was arrested for being involved in a hit-and-run incident while intoxicated.

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The officer allegedly hit a teenager who was walking on the side of the road and knocked him over, and he later died.

The officer's number plate was found on the scene, which led to her arrest, leaving many in the country upset by her conduct.

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Zingisa Chirwa avatar

Zingisa Chirwa (Editor) Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced broadcast journalist who has worked predominantly in radio newsrooms for over 15 years. Chirwa has occupied numerous positions, including news journalist, editor and current affairs host, focusing mainly on Mpumalanga politics and business. You can reach Zingisa at zingisa.chirwa@briefly.co.za.