Pic: former cop Samuel Bassie Mahlangu appeared in court
By Kopano Dibakwane
A 60 year-old former Warrant Officer, and pensioner, Samuel Bassie Mahlangu, appeared before the Delmas Magistrate’s Court on charges of defeating the ends of justice and tampering with evidence, on Tuesday 18 June, after he was reportedly served with a J175, on 14 May 2024 by the Middleburg based Serious Corruption Investigation.
According to Mpumalanga spokesperson for the Hawks, Captain Dineo Sekgotodi, members of the DPCI (Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation-Hawks) and NCI(National Crime Intelligence) conducted a disruptive operation on illegal mining whereby exhibits(gold bearing material) were seized and booked in SAPS13(exhibit register) at Delmas police station, signed for by Mahlangu on 1 August 2023.
“ On August 2 2023, a member of the NCI went to the police station for the exhibit, and the accused indicated that he was not aware that the items were exhibits. He further showed them where he dumped the exhibit in a bin used for garbage at the back of the police station, without a disposal order made,” said Sekgotodi.
She said that Mahlangu’s case was postponed to 27 June 2024 for further investigation.
