Traffic officer sentenced for demanding 'cool drink money' bribe from motorist

A traffic police officer's yearning for "cool drink money", a mere R50, landed her in deep trouble with the law; a five-year prison sentence.

Thembisile Yende, who was with the Mpumalanga traffic department, was handed a five-year prison sentence on Tuesday, wholly suspended, by the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court for her bribe demand from a motorist.

Yende, 48, was arrested during a sting operation in 2022 after tormented motorists reached out to police about traffic officers allegedly demanding bribes from them.

Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi said Yende's arrest followed growing concern from Ermelo motorists who complained about officials allegedly soliciting bribes.

“Yende was arrested in 2022 in Ermelo after the Hawks Middelburg-based Serious Corruption Investigation team reacted to the outcry after motorists in Ermelo raised concern about traffic officials who unduly sought gratification in exchange for traffic law violations,” said Nkosi.

According to the Hawks, officers conducted the undercover operation on March 30, 2022, after weeks of monitoring suspected officials.

During the operation, a police agent posing as a motorist was compelled to pay R50 for failing to display vehicle registration plates. Yende was arrested shortly afterwards.

She appeared in court several times before being convicted and sentenced. Her five-year jail term was wholly suspended for five years on condition she is not convicted of a similar offence during that period.

Mpumalanga Hawks head, Major General Nico Gerber, said the outcome should serve as a warning to law-enforcement officers involved in corrupt acts.

He added that while suspended sentences for corruption “are not the desired outcome”, the Directorate respected the court’s decision.

DAILY NEWS