ACCUSED SENTENCED FOR POSSESSION OF ILLICIT CIGARETTES
LIMPOPO – Moses Matembudze (27) was sentenced for possession of illicit cigarettes and contravening the Immigration Act by the Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on 15 February 2024.
In February 2023, the Polokwane based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation members received a tip off about illicit cigarettes that were kept on a farm in Musina.
The multidisciplinary sting operation led by the Hawks assisted by Limpopo South African Police Service, South African National Defence Force, and South African Revenue Services was conducted.
The team pounced on the accused and found him in possession of 48 master cases of Remington Gold valued at R480 000. The accused was arrested and the operation continued until other boxes of illicit cigarettes worth over R30 million were found hidden on another farm nearby and more suspects were arrested.
After Matembudze was arrested, he was kept in police custody until he was convicted and sentenced to four years direct imprisonment for possession of illicit cigarettes. He was further sentenced to 12 months direct imprisonment for being in the country illegally. The accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The cases against other accused are still on going
The Provincial Head of the Hawks in Limpopo Province, Major General Gopz Govender has appreciated the good work done by the team until the accused was convicted and sentenced. Major General Govender is also optimistic that other accused will be convicted and given hefty sentences.
