Pretoria – The Pretoria District Court on Thursday sentenced two police officers, Puleng Peter Seshoka, 40, and Zakhele Ronnie Mtsheni, 40, to four years imprisonment after they were convicted of corruption worth R1 000.
Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the conviction emanates from an incident which occurred on February 27, 2019 at Centurion Mall.
The complainant was in Centurion Mall when he was approached by the two constables while he was in his car.
They told him his car looked suspicious and demanded to search it.
“They discovered that the licence disk had expired, but still was within the grace period, they then told him to choose between following them to the police station where he would be released on R5 000 bail or give them R1 000,” said Mahanjana.
The man opted to pay the R1000, however, the following day, he reported the matter to the police, after investigations, the two constables were summoned to court on October 7, 2020.
The officers pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“Prosecutor, Cassius Mona, asked the court to impose a sentence that will send a strong message, that corruption will not be tolerated especially in a country where police officials are accused of corruption and lack diligence in executing their duties,” said Mahanjana.
IOL