ALBERTON – Drug kingpin, Philip Nsofor (aka Lion of Alberton or Stranger, 40), has been sentenced to 30 years in prison on Friday, December 12.
He has in effect been sentenced to 81 years on the different charges of which 30 years must effectively be served in prison.
It took the Hawks more than six years to bring the man down after infiltrating his drug circles and gaining his trust. This enabled them to keep close tabs on Nsofor. For years he ran his operation from his cellphone shop (Philsof Cellphone Shop) in Parklands Avenue, Alberton North. Dealing in cocaine, Methamphetamine tables and having his runners at hand and a couple of corrupt SAPS members in his pocket, he dubbed himself the Lion of Alberton.
Once his circles were infiltrated, the Hawks managed to be part of Nsofor’s organisation for an overseas collection in Saò Paulo, Brazil. When the runner arrived in Brazil, the Brazilian authorities took over. Here the runner met another Nigerian to seal the deal and came back with a painting in which cocaine was hidden.
It was on return of the informant (runner) to South Africa on November 11, 2009 when the cocaine hidden in a painting arrived with an agent at Johannesburg International Airport (O R Tambo). The cocaine of 1 529.19 grams, valued at approximately R764 595, was arranged to be delivered by the agent to the accused at his cellphone shop at 54 Parklands Avenue, Alberton North. The accused was then arrested on various drug dealing charges.
After his arrest, bail for the accused was opposed and he was in detention for almost five years pending the outcome of the trial. A special court and magistrate (Mr Zakwe) was set in Benoni where the trial was held. On December 20, 2010 the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) gave authorisation to charge the accused for Racketeering among other charges. He was finally sentenced on Friday, December 12 in the Benoni Regional Court.
He was found guilty on the following charges:
Count 2: Conducting or participating in an enterprise section 2 (1)(e) of Prevention of Organised Crime Act, Act 121/1998 (Racketeering) – sentenced 20 years imprisonment.
Count 3: Dealing in Drugs section 5(b) – sentenced 20 years imprisonment.
Count 4: Dealing in Drugs section 5(b ) – sentenced 10 years imprisonment.
Count 5: Dealing in Drugs section 5(b ) – sentenced 10 years imprisonment.
Count 6: Dealing in Drugs section 5(b ) – sentenced 10 years imprisonment.
Count 7: Dealing in Drugs section 5(b ) – sentenced 10 years imprisonment.
Count 8: Contravening Conditions of Temporary Residence Permit Section 49(6) of the Immigration Act, Act 13/2002 – sentenced 1 year imprisonment.
Nsofor was found not guilty on charges 1, managing an enterprise, and count 9, contravening conditions of temporary residence permit: bad faith spousal relationship.
The court ordered that sentence for counts 2, 3 and 8 should run concurrently and that the sentence for counts 4, 5, 6 and 7 should run concurrently with an effective imprisonment of 30 years. (Total of 81 years imprisonment combined of which the accused must serve 30 years effective.)
The investigating officer in the case is Detective Warrant Officer R C Veldman and the project manager is Lieutenant Colonel Ludick. The main case docket was Alberton CAS 795/11/2009. According to the investigating officer and state prosecutor handling this case, this is the highest sentence in South Africa ever handed down in a drug related case.
State Advocate, Advocate Johan Badenhorst of the DPP, Jhb who was the prosecutor in the case, confirmed this to be the highest sentence handed down in South Africa for an accused in a drug related case.
