Rustenburg – Two police officers accused of fraud and corruption were sentenced to two years imprisonment, North West police said on Thursday.
Police spokesperson Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said former Warrant Officer Ezekiel Penyenye,33, and Reserve Constable Happy Tshekedi, 49, were sentenced by the Rustenburg Regional Court on Tuesday.
“Penyenye and Tshekedi were arrested in 2011 and charged with corruption and fraud after taking R100 cash from a taxi driver after an accident. The pair was on patrol duties when they bumped a taxi in Boitekong near Rustenburg.
They then demanded R100 from the taxi driver under the pretext that the money would be used to repair the state vehicle. The driver was then taken to the police station where an accident report was completed with false information.
The taxi owner went to the police station few days later where he met the station commander and reported the matter.
“It was established that the accident was not reported on time and that the information in the accident report was false. A case docket was opened and the suspects were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Team of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations.”
Mokgwabone said the officials were sentenced to two years direct imprisonment for corruption. Tshekedi was also handed R2,000 fine or six months imprisonment for fraud.
“We will not hesitate to deal with our own members who are involved in corruption and other criminal activities. This will hopefully send a clear message to our members that no one is above the law,” said Major General Jacob Tsumane, acting North West police commissioner.
ANA