Two former police officers have been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment after they extorted R14,000 from a printing business owner in Rivonia, Johannesburg.
Lehlogonolo Tsagane, 47, and Jabulani Ngobeni, 47, were sentenced by the Specialised Commercial Crime Court sitting in Palmridge on Tuesday.
Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, said on November, 28, 2020, the two officers were on duty when they received a tip-off about a suspect branding clothes with the South African Police Service (SAPS) logo and they immediately rushed to the scene.
“They illegally demanded R1.5 million from Maxwell Chiyangwa, but settled for R14,000.00 after threatening him with an arrest,” said Mjonondwane.
She added that the two officers instructed Chiyangwa to transfer the money into his wife’s account and then she was escorted to Woodmead shopping complex where the money was withdrawn.
Chiyangwa was left behind with one of the police officers.
“Chiyangwa reported the incident to the authorities and following an intensive investigation by the provincial corruption Unit of the SAPS, the two police officers were ordered to hand themselves to the Johannesburg Central Police Station on September 21, 2022,” added Mjonondwane.
She said when sentencing the duo, the court deviated from the prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years, because the officers were first-time offenders and they had pleaded guilty to the offence.
Mjonondwane added that NPA was making measurable progress against high-profile cases of corruption.
“Almost 700 government officials have been convicted of corruption since 2019. We remain committed to upholding the law and ensuring those who break it, even those sworn to enforce it, face the full might of justice,” she said.
IOL News