Cape Town - The specialised commercial crimes court in Bellville in the Western Cape has sentenced a 35-year-old man to four years imprisonment on a charge of corruption.
Nkokelo Sarile was found guilty and sentenced to six years, of which two years were suspended with conditions. He will thus effectively serve four years in jail.
In addition to his sentence, the court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
According to the provincial spokesperson for the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Zinzi Hani, Sarile’s sentence follows his failed attempt to bribe a police officer with R2 000 in exchange for the release of his impounded vehicle.
Hani said the vehicle had been seized after being used in the commission of a crime in a separate matter.
“ A sting operation was executed on September 3, 2009, and he was arrested on his arrival at the Hawks offices in Bellville, Cape Town with money intended to induce a police officer to commit a criminal offence,” she said.
Sarile shortly thereafter appeared in court and was granted R1 500 bail.
Hani said during Sarile’s corruption trial, he continually caused delays in the case as he constantly changed legal representatives.
In a separate incident, two suspects were expected to appear in the Cape Town magistrate’s court on Monday after they were arrested for the possession of endangered succulent plants in Milnerton.
A joint intelligence operation between Malmesbury police, the Kuilsrivier Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit (STESU), Sanparks Cape Town, Vredendal Crime Intelligence, National Intervention Unit Cape Town and Cape Nature on Friday led to the arrest of the two suspects aged 19 and 27.
The intelligence team confiscated 25 000 different plant species, an undisclosed amount of money, four cell phones and a Chevrolet Aveo.