Cop gets five years in jail for swindling SAPS out of R40k

An Eastern Cape policeman, Sergeant Melumzi Mnakaniso, has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for defrauding the State of R41 000 after submitting travel and accommodation claims for non-existing work trips.

The sentence is wholly conditionally suspended for three years, and the court has ordered Mnakaniso to pay the R41 238.40 back to the SAPS.

The suspect was arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Crime Investigation team on 9 June 2018, said Hawks spokesperson Lwando Zenzile.

He was later released on bail of R1 000.

Zenzile said Mnakaniso committed the fraud while he was based at Lusikisiki police station.

“During February 2012 to February 2014 Mnakaniso submitted claims that he attended court proceedings in Port Elizabeth where he was stationed before being transferred to Lusikisiki. Mnakaniso would create his own invoices for [a] bed and breakfast and approach Taxi Association [sic] for transport invoices indicating that he had travelled to Port Elizabeth,” said Zenzile.

The 43-year-old policeman is now working at Qumbu Police station.

The Hawks investigation uncovered that the bed and breakfast Mnakaniso claimed to have used in Port Elizabeth was no longer operating.

On Thursday, Mnakaniso pleaded guilty to all charges at the Port St Johns Regional Court.

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