ETHIOPIAN MAN SENTENCED TO SIX YEARS FOR CORRUPTING POLICE OFFICERS AT THE CHARGE OFFICE
The Mogwadi Periodical Court has convicted and sentenced Fitebo Makala Madebo(45), an Ethiopian national to six years direct imprisonment for offering to give the police gratification.
During the trial, the court heard that on 12 May 2022, the police officers from Limpopo Highway Patrol Unit were patrolling around Mogwadi area when they visited some tuck-shop, they also visited certain shop where they found an Ethiopian man Shobiso Dawit Tegeni (29) selling illicit Remington Gold cigarettes. They found nine cartons consists of 10x 20 packets of Remington Gold cigarettes worth R2620-00. The police arrested him, and they went to Mogwadi Police station to charge and detain him. While the police were busy completing the case docket and detaining Tegeni, his friend Madebo arrived at the police station and offered the police officers R1000.00 to release the accused arrested for possession of illicit goods without the due process of the law taking its course and that the police must give him back the illicit cigarettes and free Tegeni.
In mitigation of the sentence the defence lawyer of the accused submitted that Madebo is a married man, with four children, self-employed, he is remorseful, and he can afford to pay a fine of R1500.00.
In aggravation of the sentence, State advocate Phumudzo Mudau submitted that the accused committed a serious offence by offering a bribe of R1000.00 at the police station in front of other police officers, this is an indication that he does not respect law. Advocate Mudau further told the court that corruption poses a serious threat to our democratic state and cases of this nature are of national concern. There is a huge cry in the society that the courts must address corruption by imposing appropriate sentences. He further prayed to court to impose a custodial sentence to deter the accused and other would-be offenders from committing crimes of this nature.
The court agreed with the state that corruption is a national concern, and only appropriate sentence is custodial sentence. The court sentenced Madebo to six years imprisonment without an option to pay fine.
The prosecutions welcome the sentence and hope that the sentence would deter other would-be offenders from committing such crimes, and further restore confidence in the justice system. The Director of Public Prosecutions, advocate Ivy Thenga congratulates the good work of Adv. Phumudzo Mudau, Sergeant Lamola and Sergeant Adolphus Netshikweta.
