Corrupt Cape Town cops sent to jail for drug-running

Two police officers have been sentenced to 10 years in jail each for their role in drug-running in Cape Town, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Monday.

According to the charge sheet, the Hawks received information that officers at Woodstock police station were involved in dealing in drugs and accepting bribes.

Constable Godwin Bradley Barnard and Sergeant Isak Stefanus Hendricks were identified and the Hawks set up separate traps and undercover operations using registered agents in April 2010.

In the first operation on April 22, 2010, Barnard was said to have bought and transported drugs for an undercover Hawks agent in the Maitland area.

The agent gave him R3,000 for the transaction, the State’s charge sheet reads.

Hendricks was said to have shared R250 of the bribe and knew about the deal.

Eight days later, an agent asked Hendricks to transport tik from Woodstock to Maitland for a fee.

The charge sheet stated that Hendricks picked up 20 grams of tik from a fast-food outlet in Woodstock, while in a police van with Barnard.

The two officers drove to a petrol station in Voortrekker Road, Maitland.

Hendricks allegedly got out and handed over the drugs to an agent, in return for R1,000.

“The accused received payment for buying and transporting the drugs from Woodstock to Maitland in contravention of their duty to uphold the law, rather than, as they did, to assist drug dealers to evade detection by employing police officers to buy and transport on their behalf,” the State charged.

Western Cape NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit and prosecutor advocate Simon Leope dealt with the case.

The men were each sentenced to five years for the alternative charge of possession of drugs and five years for corruption.

The sentences would not run concurrently.

The State welcomed the sentence.

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