A Hammanskraal police officer has been convicted of selling illegal electricity tokens in Botlokwa, Limpopo, Eskom said on Tuesday.

Sello Fanie Madikologa was was charged with illegally distribution electricity vouchers, a fraudulent activity causing Eskom to lose revenue.

He was sentenced to 5 years in prison with an option to pay a R30 000 penalty and only serve two years and six months in prison with an additional 5 years suspended sentence.

His four co- accused have turned State witness in exchange for immunity from facing prosecution.

Madikologa was nabbed during Operation Khanyisa, a campaign by Eskom and law-enforcement agencies fighting electrical theft syndicates.

Senior Eskom official Maboe Maphaka said the campaign assisted in the reduction of illegal electricity vouchers being sold in Limpopo.

“This is encouraging, even though the cases take long to go through the courts,” he said.

“Eskom is confident that such efforts will encourage our customers to purchase electricity legally and discourage would-be criminals from contemplating getting involved in this criminal behaviour.”

Eskom loses about R4.7 billion in revenue annually due to electricity theft.