A KwaZulu-Natal policeman, Warrant Officer Claude Ince, has been sentenced to 12 years behind bars after being found guilty of demanding gratification in exchange for disposing of case dockets.
The 51-year-old officer, stationed at the Bellair SA Police Service (SAPS), was convicted on two counts of corruption in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
The Investigation and Arrest
The Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks, shed light on the case. Warrant Officer Ince, employed as a detective, was investigating a fraud case in May 2017 when he demanded a gratification of R5,000 to destroy evidence against the accused. This act of corruption was reported, and the Hawks members from the Durban Serious Corruption Investigation were alerted.
An undercover operation was swiftly conducted, resulting in the arrest of Warrant Officer Ince. He was apprehended while in possession of the cash that had been paid to him by the complainant. Ince was subsequently charged with corruption and brought before the court.
The Second Incident
In a separate incident, Warrant Officer Ince was investigating a case of theft by shoplifting involving another accused. During the course of this investigation, Ince demanded a gratification of R3,000 in exchange for withdrawing the charges against the accused. The accused managed to pay a gratification of R1,000 and followed Ince’s instruction to not attend court. Consequently, a warrant of arrest was issued against her.
When the accused appeared before the court, she revealed that Warrant Officer Ince had taken money from her and instructed her not to attend. As a result, a sitting magistrate ordered an investigation into the matter. Following the investigation, a second count of corruption was opened against Ince, and he was subsequently charged.
The Sentencing
In May 2023, Warrant Officer Ince was found guilty on both counts of corruption. The court sentenced him to 10 years for each count, with eight years of the second count running concurrently with the first 10 years of the first count. This means that Ince will serve a total of 12 years in direct imprisonment.
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Although Ince has been granted leave to appeal, he will remain behind bars until the appeal is heard on April 11.
Major General (Dr) Lesetja Senona, the KwaZulu-Natal Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Provincial Head, welcomed the sentence and emphasized the condemnation of corruption in the strongest possible terms. This ruling serves as a significant deterrent to those who abuse the police badge for personal gain.
