Two Northern Cape police officers who tried to take advantage during the Covid-19 lockdown by extorting money from a woman pensioner have been sentenced to direct imprisonment.
TWO NORTHERN Cape police officers who tried to take advantage during the Covid-19 lockdown by extorting money from a senior citizen have been sentenced to direct imprisonment.
Sergeant Stanley Beukes, 37, and Constable Thapelo Semamai, 26, were convicted this week of corruption by the Upington Regional Court.
They were sentenced to an effective two years behind bars.
The provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks), Lieutenant-Colonel Tebogo Thebe, said that on April 17, 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the two police officers stopped a woman pensioner who was driving around in the Upington area.
“The two officers demanded a Covid-19 travel permit. The senior citizen did not have the permit and the officers demanded a R200 gratification so that they can issue her with a permit,” said Thebe.
“A payment of R200 was made, as agreed, and the complainant thereafter visited the Upington police station to open a case of corruption.”
Thebe said the matter was referred to the Hawks for investigation.
He said that, in addition to the criminal case, the SAPS subjected both employees to an internal disciplinary process.
Both police officers were fired.
The acting provincial head of the Hawks, Brigadier Prince Mashimbye, expressed his satisfaction with the conviction.
“If we are to win this fight (againsgt crime and corruption), we have to start cleaning our house first,” said Mashimbye.
