Cape Town court orderly sentenced for drug smuggling and corruption

The court orderly was trapped in an undercover operation.

CAPE TOWN, March 29 (ANA) – A 48-year-old police officer has been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment by the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday.

Lulama Mxoxo, a court orderly at the Athlone Magistrate’s Court, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for the possession of cannabis and two years’ imprisonment for corruption.

The sentences are set to run concurrently, so Mxoxo will serve an effective four years in prison.

In a statement, the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Eric Ntabazalila said police received a tip-off that Mxoxo was smuggling drugs to prisoners and receiving payment for his deeds.

An undercover operation was put in place to trap Mxoxo.

“Police applied to set up a trap and were granted the authority. They also applied for money to use for the trap and copies of the money were made to compare after the arrest,” Ntabazalila said.

The investigating officer met up with an agent who would act as someone who wanted to have drugs smuggled into the police cells.

The agent was handed R200 (US$13) and drugs which were wrapped in a plastic bag.

The agent then set out to meet Mxoxo at the Athlone Magistrate’s Court and told the court orderly he had a parcel which he needed to have delivered to the cells.

Mxoxo agreed and was given the money and drugs.

Throughout the exchange, Mxoxo and the agent were being monitored by the investigating officer and other police officials.

Once the deal was complete the agent signalled to the officials. Mxoxo noticed them closing in on him and tried to throw the evidence over the fence.

“He was arrested. Police searched the adjacent property and found the plastic bag with the same drugs that were given to the agent. They also found the money in his possession and it matched the money that was earlier given to the agent,” Ntabazalila said.

State prosecutor advocate Xolile Jonas welcomed the sentence and said it was sad that families had to now suffer as a result of the careless acts of the accused.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher