3 days ago
Former constable sentenced to six years for corruption
The Kuruman regional court in the Northern Cape on Friday sentenced former police constable Johannes Shuping to six years' imprisonment after convicting him of corruption.
The conviction on two counts of corruption involved R10,000 that Shuping solicited from a member of the public.
'The charges relate to a 2018 incident in which Shuping, then a detective at Kathu police station, rearrested the complainant, Buti Moepadira, despite the case already being before the court,' National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said.
After his arrest, Shuping offered to 'make the docket disappear' in exchange for a payment of R11,000.
'Moepadira, who was detained at Kathu police station due to a lack of accommodation in Kuruman, was allowed by Shuping to use his cellphone to arrange the payment. A R6,000 cash payment was delivered to the accused by the complainant's brother.'
Shuping continued to demand the outstanding R5,000, prompting Moepadira to report the matter to the Hawks.
'A sting operation was then conducted using marked banknotes provided by the investigating officer. During the operation, the complainant's brother handed over the remaining R4,000 to the accused. Shuping fled the scene but was arrested a week later at his workplace.'
At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of marked R200 notes, which matched the serial numbers recorded during the operation.
Prosecutor Kagontle Redemption Barnett took over the case after the original prosecutor was appointed to the bench.
In aggravation of sentence, she argued that Shuping had grossly abused his position of authority and violated public trust. As a law enforcement officer, he was duty-bound to uphold the law, but instead chose to betray his oath and the constitution. Barnett emphasised that a strong sentence would deter similar conduct and reinforce public confidence in the criminal justice system.
The court concurred and sentenced Shuping to six years' imprisonment on each count, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently.
'The NPA welcomes the conviction and sentence. This outcome reaffirms that no one is above the law and underscores the importance of protecting the integrity of the criminal justice system by holding those who abuse their power accountable,' Senokoatsane said.
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