The Delmas Magistrate’s Court gave a former policeman from Delmas the option of paying a R15 000 fine or going to jail for three years.

Samuel Bassie Mahlangu (61) was sentenced on February 12 for defeating the ends of justice and tampering with evidence because he disposed of gold-bearing material booked in as evidence in an illegal mining case from 2023.

This gold-bearing material was seized as exhibits during a disruptive operation by members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation and the National Crime Intelligence, and booked into the SAPS exhibits register at Delmas Police Station on August 1, 2023.

Warrant Officer Thandi Tshabalala, Mpumalanga spokesperson for the Hawks, said Mahlangu signed the receipt of the exhibits.

A member of National Crime Intelligence went to the police station the following day to conduct further investigation on the exhibits.

However, Mahlangu disposed of the gold-bearing material. He claimed he was not aware that the gold-bearing material was evidence.

“He pointed out where he dumped the exhibits in a bin used for garbage at the back of the police station. There was no disposal form or any indication in writing that the exhibits were disposed of,” explained Tshabalala.

The Hawks’ Middelburg-based Serious Corruption Investigation investigated the matter. They summoned Mahlangu to appear in the Delmas Magistrate’s Court nine months later on May 14, 2024.

Mahlangu’s sentence includes the suspension of R5 000 or one year for five years on the condition that he is not found guilty of similar offences during that time.
This means, he will in effect, have to pay R10 000 or spend two years in prison.