Cape Town – Three Cape Town police officers had their 10-year direct prison sentence reduced to a 5-year suspension after illegally returning two bags stuffed with dagga to the scene of an alleged murder in 2015 and accepting a R2 100 bribe.
According to The Citizen, Gerald Nolan Van Nel, Justin Mthetheleli Mhlonto, and Jacob Store responded to a crime scene and discovered two bags stuffed with dagga.
They took the suspect and the bags to the police station. However, they did not declare the dagga confiscated at the crime scene. Instead, they accepted an amount of R2 100 from the suspect for the release of the dagga.
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The trio divided the money amongst themselves, with each receiving an amount of R700.
When the state learned of the crime, it sentenced Gerald Nolan Van Nel and Justin Mthetheleli Mhlonto to a 10-year sentence, which was later reduced to five years on the condition that they did not commit corruption, fraud, or forgery during the suspension period.
Their accomplice Jacob Store was only given a five-year suspended sentence after he entered into a plea agreement with the state, according to Daily Maverick.
Furthermore, the court ruled that the officers were unfit to possess firearms.
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
