A former police officer attached to the Middelburg Flying Squad has been sentenced to five years’ direct imprisonment after being found guilty of corruption.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) welcomed the conviction and sentencing of Sergeant Sello Milla (41), who was sentenced by the Middelburg Regional Court on Thursday, July 30.

Undercover sting targets corrupt cops

The conviction follows an undercover operation conducted between 2018 and 2019 by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation unit, in collaboration with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and Crime Intelligence Surveillance Unit.

The operation targeted law enforcement officers who were allegedly soliciting and accepting bribes from motorists in Mpumalanga.

According to the Hawks, on June 23, 2019, Milla unlawfully demanded a R200 bribe from an undercover agent posing as a motorist. He was arrested and charged with corruption.

Hawks welcomes stern sentence

Welcoming the sentence, Hawks Mpumalanga Provincial Head Major General Nico Gerber said the five-year prison term should serve as a stern warning to corrupt officials that even a bribe of only R200 can lead to a lengthy prison sentence.

“The Hawks in Mpumalanga remain committed to rooting out corruption within law enforcement and ensuring that those who abuse positions of trust are brought to justice,” Gerber said.