Two Durban cops who took R7500 bribe to release a suspect jailed for 10 years

Durban: Two Durban policemen who took a R7 500 bribe to release a suspect have been jailed for 10 years.

The Hawks confirmed that Sergeant Musawenkosi Mabaso and Sergeant Thulani Dlangalala, both 48, were sentenced this week in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court after being found guilty of corruption.

According to spokesperson Simphiwe Mhlongo, in May 2018, Mabaso and Dlangalala were instructed to pick up the suspect who was arrested at King Shaka International Airport.

“Along the way, the two officers demanded R7 000 in order to release the suspect for him to go home and come to court the following day. They were paid R4 500 and further demanded a balance of R3 000.

“Hawks members were immediately informed and an undercover operation was conducted.

“They were intercepted after collecting the balance and a search was conducted. Hawks members found R7 500 that was taken from the complainant and they were arrested.”

Mhlongo said Mabaso and Dlangalala were charged with corruption and defeating the ends of justice.

“They immediately resigned from the police after they were released on bail.”

The KwaZulu-Natal Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s provincial head, Major-General Leseja Senona, welcomed the sentence.

“This is a very good lesson to those police officers who are abusing their authority and putting the name of the SAPS in disrepute. We are determined to clean up our own organisation and put all perpetrators where they belong.”

IOL