Courts sentenced two South African Police Service members to prison on Wednesday. The cases show the justice system is willing to prosecute its own officers.
A lieutenant-colonel received 20 years for murder. An off-duty constable and his brother each got seven years for attempted murder.
Murder conviction
The Gauteng High Court in Palm Ridge jailed Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Mokoena for 20 years. He worked at Vereeniging Police Station and murdered Sibongiseni Cele in March 2024.
On 3 March 2024 at 19:00, Mokoena assaulted Cele at his home. He accused Cele of breaking into his property and stealing a television set and jewellery.
Mokoena called the police after the assault. He refused to open a trespassing case against Cele. Cele also refused to open an assault case against Mokoena. Cele declined medical treatment at hospital.
A friend found Cele dead at his home the next day on 4 March 2024. Police came to the scene.
The high court also declared Mokoena unfit to possess a firearm.
Attempted murder sentence
The Tembisa Regional Court sentenced Constable Kabelo Peace Maripane and his brother Nape Maripane to seven years each. They tried to murder two civilians in Tembisa in 2019.
Constable Maripane works for the Johannesburg Rapid Rail Unit.
On 14 September 2019 at 02:00, Nape Maripane confronted three friends walking in Makulong Section, Tembisa. He fired at them with a service firearm and left.
The constable and his brother returned later. They opened fire on the same group again.
Two men suffered multiple gunshot wounds to their upper bodies. The third man escaped without injury. Tembisa Hospital treated the injured men.
Constable Maripane was off duty during the shooting.
The court found the Maripane brothers guilty on 25 May.
