A 47-year-old former police officer has been handed a 12 year jail sentence after he used his service firearm during a robbery.
Thembinkosi Lesele, who was based at the Lingelethu West police station, was arrested following a robbery that occurred on 8 December 2009.
Lesele, who was on duty and driving a marked police car, stopped a delivery truck loaded with alcohol on Klipheuwel road near Malmesbury.
According to Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Philani Nkwalase, Lesele was with three other men in civilian clothing when they approached the driver and his passenger.
"The police officer pointed [at] them with his service firearm demanding their cellphones and took R40 000 cash before fleeing the crime scene," Nkwalase said.
He was arrested on 17 December 2009 by the Hawks' Serious Corruption investigation team after he had been linked to the armed robbery.
He appeared in court and was later released on R10 000 bail.
Nkwalase added that Lesele had been convicted on 10 March 2021 at the Atlantis Regional Court and his bail was withdrawn until his sentencing on Tuesday.
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