Durban - Two Durban police officers and a civilian accomplice were sentenced to 15 years and 10 years respectively by the Durban Regional Court on Monday after they were caught red-handed attempting to steal Telkom copper cables
Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said Sergeant Zwelihle Mngadi, 46, Sergeant Luvuyo Mbixane, 43, and their civilian accomplice Mandla Mgaga, 31, were sentenced for a case of damage to essential infrastructure.
Mhlongo said that on June 18, 2021, members from the Umkomaas Task Team were working in the uMlazi township when they noticed a marked police van and white bakkie parked on the side of the road.
He said the members approached the vehicles and noticed that there was a tow truck pulling out a copper cable.
The members confronted the accused and identified themselves as police officials, he said.
“They established that the accused were stealing the copper cable and it was positively identified by Telkom,” said Mhlongo.
Mhlongo said the three suspects were placed under arrest and charged accordingly.
“The case docket was allocated to the Hawks members from Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation for intensive investigation,” he said.
The Hawks said the accused appeared in court and were released on bail.
“Mngadi, Mbixane and Mgaga appeared in court several times until they were convicted in December last year. Mngadi and Mbixane were sentenced to 15 years’ direct imprisonment and Mgaga was sentenced to 10 years’ direct imprisonment,” said Mhlongo.
In February, IOL reported that Sergeant Philani Praiselord Mkhwanazi, 43, was sentenced to a 10-year jail term by the Richards Bay Regional Court for rape after he demanded sex to release a 32-year-old woman who had been arrested for alleged shoplifting.
In the report, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said that in November 2020, the 32-year-old complainant was arrested for alleged shoplifting and taken to the Esikhaleni police station where she was kept with another woman arrested for the same offence.
Ramkisson-Kara said that at some stage, Mkhwanazi moved the complainant out of the cell and into another room.
“There he asked her for sex in exchange for her release. She gave consent on the understanding that she would be released.
“However, when they were done Mkhwanazi did not release her, but instead returned her to the cell. She then reported the incident to her cell companion (first report) and another police officer at that station and evidence was secured,” she said in the report.