LAW ENFORCERS SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS FOR BREAKING THE LAW
The Specialised Commercial Crime Court sitting in Palmridge handed down a 10-year prison sentence to two South African Police Service (SAPS) officers, Lehlogonolo Tsagane (47), and Jabulani Ngobeni (47), for extorting R14 000 from a printing business owner in Rivonia. The duo faced one charge of corruption each.
On 28 November 2020, while on duty and in full police uniform, the ex-police officials received a tip-off about the suspect branding clothes with the SAPS logo and they immediately rushed to the scene They illegally demanded R1.5 million from Maxwell Chiyangwa, but settled for R14 000, after threatening Chiyangwa with an arrest. Tsagane and Ngobeni instructed him to transfer to his wife’s account, and they then escorted her to the Woodmead shopping complex to withdraw the funds. As they left for the shopping complex, they left Chiyangwa under the guard of another officer.
Chiyangwa reported the incident to the authorities and following an intensive investigation by the Provincial Corruption Unit of SAPS, the two police officers were ordered to hand themselves to the Johannesburg Central Police Station on 21 September 2022. State Prosecutor Rhyme Nchabeleng, argued in aggravation of sentence and cited the nature of the former policemen’s crimes. He put it to the court that the duo abused their power and trust as police officers, exploiting their position to extort money from Chiyangwa. He further argued that these aggravating circumstances warrant severe sentences.
In considering the sentence, the court deviated from the prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years, because the two police officers were first-time offenders, had pleaded guilty and also considered the relatively modest amount in the commission of the offence.
The NPA is 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.
