Warrant Officer, Mandla Nimrod Hlatshwayo (he was a Sergeant at the time of arrest) was convicted in the Durban Regional Court on a charge of extortion and attempted corruption and he was sentenced to two years imprisonment without the option of a fine on 25 May 2010. The police officer was based at KwaMakhutha SAPS.
The conviction stems from an investigation by the Independent Complaints Directorate's (ICD) KwaZulu-Natal provincial office. The police officer was entrapped on 13 April 2007 following a complaint received alleging extortion.
The complainant alleged that he had been arrested on 10 April 2007 on suspicion of dealing in precious stones and that the police officers had demanded R4 000. The complainant was taken to an automated teller machine (ATM) and forced to withdraw R1 200 which he paid over to the police officers to avoid being detained.
An arrangement was then made that the police officers would collect the outstanding R2 800 on 13 April 2007. The complainant then lodged a complaint with the ICD KwaZulu-Natal office.
The suspect was arrested following a trap operation by the ICD. The complainant was able to identify Warrant Officer Hlatshwayo as one of the officers who were present when he was initially arrested, also the complainant's identity book, as well as, other documents was found in the police vehicle that Warrant Officer Hlatshwayo was driving.
The ICD is pleased with the conviction and feels that it sends a strong message to other officers to refrain from criminal activities.
For enquiries contact:
Moses Dlamini
Cell: 082 809 1927
Issued by: Independent Complaints Directorate
27 May 2010
Source: Independent Complaints Directorate (http://www.icd.gov.za/)
