Former Kuruman cop jailed for pocketing bribe in hijacking case

A FORMER police constable who tried to cash in on a hijacking investigation will be spending the next six years behind bars after being convicted of corruption by the Kuruman Regional Court.

Hawks Northern Cape spokesperson Warrant Officer Nomthandazo Mnisi said that Johannes Shuping, 44, was sentenced to six years of direct imprisonment this week after the court found he had solicited a bribe while serving as an investigating officer in a hijacking and robbery case.

The disgraced officer was arrested in 2018 following a sting operation by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit. At the time, Shuping was assigned to a case involving a suspect who had been arrested in Jan Kempdorp for possession of a suspected stolen vehicle.

Instead of pursuing the investigation by the book, Shuping saw an opportunity to enrich himself. He approached the suspect and demanded R11,000 to make the case docket “disappear”. The suspect handed over R6,000 but was unable to pay the balance. He then alerted his lawyer, who referred him to the Hawks.

An undercover operation was set up, and Shuping was caught red-handed after accepting a further R4,000.

Following a lengthy trial, he was found guilty on two counts of corruption. He was sentenced to six years’ direct imprisonment on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently. The court also ruled that Shuping is unfit to own a firearm.

The head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in the Northern Cape, Major-General Steven Mabuela, praised the investigation and prosecution teams for their work in rooting out corruption within the police service.