A former police constable, Johannes Shuping (44), has been sentenced to six years of direct imprisonment by the Kuruman Regional Court for two counts of corruption, marking a stern warning against abuse of power within law enforcement.
The case stems from a 2018 investigation into a hijacking and robbery incident, during which Shuping exploited his position by demanding R11,000 from an accused individual in exchange for making the case “disappear.” After receiving R6,000, he pressed for more—prompting the complainant to tip off the Hawks.
In a coordinated sting operation, Shuping was arrested while accepting a further R4,000 in bribe money. After a drawn-out trial, the court found him guilty on both counts of corruption.
He received six years of direct imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently, meaning he will serve a total of six years behind bars. The sentence sends a clear message about the consequences of corruption within the police service.
