Eric Ellias Sibanyoni, a 47-year-old former police constable, has been sentenced to two years in prison, with the sentence wholly suspended for five years, on the condition that he is not found guilty of fraud, corruption, or theft during the suspension period. Sibanyoni, who had been stationed at the Middelburg Flying Squad, lost his job after he was caught accepting bribes from motorists on the N4 freeway near Wonderfontein, Mpumalanga.
The investigation into Sibanyoni’s misconduct was sparked by a 2019 complaint from a tourist who had been victimized. The Hawks, South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, launched an investigation involving several agencies, including the Nelspruit-based Serious Corruption Investigation Unit, Crime Intelligence, and the Road Traffic Management Corporation. This collaboration led to a covert operation that resulted in Sibanyoni’s arrest four months after the initial complaint was made.
The investigation revealed that Sibanyoni had intentionally violated his duties as a police officer by accepting R100 from a motorist in exchange for overlooking their violation. His actions were considered a clear breach of the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) code of conduct, which led to his dismissal from the police force after an internal departmental procedure.
Sibanyoni’s criminal case was concluded on Monday at the Belfast Magistrate’s Court, where he received a two-year imprisonment sentence, which will be suspended for five years. Despite his conviction, the sentence left some officials dissatisfied, particularly Major General Nico Gerber, the head of the Mpumalanga Hawks. Gerber praised the coordinated efforts of the law enforcement team that investigated the case but expressed disappointment at the suspended sentence.
“We will not allow criminal elements to infiltrate and shame hardworking, honest members. Such individuals do not qualify to remain as members and tarnish the reputation of the South African Police Service,” Gerber stated. While the investigation and arrest were seen as a victory in the fight against corruption, the sentence, in Gerber’s view, should have been more severe to send a stronger message to those tempted by corruption.
The case serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to root out unethical behavior within law enforcement, with the Hawks reiterating their commitment to holding individuals accountable and upholding the integrity of the SAPS.
