Cape Town– A Nigerian man who tried to bribe a police official twice, whilst under investigation for drug distribution, was fined R80 000 or two years for corruption on Tuesday.
Because he only had R60 000 on him, he was permitted to pay it immediately, and the R20 000 balance in four monthly instalments of R5 000.
Joseph Uzuchukwu, 33, of Milnerton in Cape Town, appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Bellville, before magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg.
The proceedings took the form of a plea bargain, negotiated by defence attorney Xavier Erasmus with State advocate Ezmerelda Johnson.
In addition to the fine, he received a five-year prison sentence, conditionally suspended for five years.
Uzuchukwu was in the country illegally in the first instance, as his asylum seeker’s permit had expired. Unknown to him, he was also under investigation as part of a police project to stamp out the distribution of drugs.
Police sergeant Lewellin van Reenen, a member of the drug project, tracked down Uzuchukwu, and took him to Home Affairs to receive a notification to leave the country.
On the way Uzuchukwu offered him R2 000 to arrange for him to remain in the country.
Van Reenen said he would “see what he could do”, but instead reported the bribe to his commander.
Soon afterwards, Uzuchukwu offered Van Reenen an additional R3 000, to steal a docket involving Uzuchukwu’s brother, who had been arrested for possession of drugs.
Van Reenen reported this as well, and an under-cover police operation (trap) was set up for Uzuchukwu.
He was arrested in March, after handing R5 000 to Van Reenen in the presence of another police official.
African News Agency