The Giyani Specialised Commercial Crime Court, South Africa, has ordered a Zimbabwean man to pay a fine of R50,000 or five years in prison after he was convicted of corruption.
As reported by IOL, Felix Tatenda Chiyangwa, 37, was also fined R5,000 or one year’s imprisonment for being an illegal immigrant in South Africa.
Regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, said:
The sentences will be served concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of five years’ direct imprisonment.
Chiyangwa pleaded guilty to the charges, revealing that on 5 October 2024, in Musina, Limpopo, two police officers approached him and asked for his passport.
Malabi-Dzhangi said he presented an expired passport from 2020 and, to avoid arrest, offered one of the officers R50, asking them not to take him into custody.
The officers accepted the money but later arrested Chiyangwa for his corrupt actions.
Senior State Advocate Martin Molokwane urged the court to impose a substantial sentence during sentencing, citing various case laws.
He highlighted the prevalence of corruption within the court’s jurisdiction and across South Africa, stressing that the crime undermines public safety and trust in law enforcement.
Molokwane stated that police officers act as the “immune system” of the country in terms of security and crime prevention, and any form of corruption compromises this system.
He urged the court to impose a severe penalty, arguing that corruption is “a serious offence regardless of the amount involved.”
The court agreed with Molokwane, acknowledging the need to send “a clear message” to society about the consequences of corrupt behaviour.
The NPA in Limpopo welcomed the court’s decision, expressing hope that the sentence would deter potential offenders.
Advocate Ivy Thenga, Director of Public Prosecutions in Limpopo, condemned Chiyangwa’s conduct and reiterated the NPA’s commitment to combating corruption in all its forms.
Thenga also congratulated the prosecution team led by Molokwane and the investigators for their dedication to upholding the law.
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