SECUNDA – The Secunda Regional Court, on Thursday 28 January, sentenced Enzani Wiseman Shongwe (31) to 20 years’ direct imprisonment for manufacturing and dealing in drugs.
Shongwe is considered the kingpin of a drug syndicate that operated in the Secunda in 2016.
The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit in Secunda arrested nine drug syndicate members in August 2016 by during the termination of a project-driven investigation. The “Project 24” Operation was targeting the manufacturing and dealing in drugs around Secunda. The operation was headed by lead-investigator, W/O Jacob Ras whose excellent investigation secured the conviction of all the syndicate members.
Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, spokesperson for the Mpumalanga Hawks, said the eight other suspects admitted guilt on the open trial and were sentenced in 2018 to a total of 144 years’ combined imprisonment.
However, Shongwe opted to go for trial and appeared several times in the same court while he remained in custody since his arrest in 2016.
Shongwe was found guilty on all charges and sentenced to 15 years’ direct imprisonment on each of the three counts of dealing in drugs.
The first two of the three sentences are said to run concurrently and the judge ordered that the accused serve an effective minimum of 20 years’ direct imprisonment.
The Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Maj- Genl Zodwa Mokoena, welcomed the sentence and applauded the team for the great work.
“We hope that this will serve as a deterrent to those who are still committing such type of crimes,” said Maj-Genl Mokoena.
