Air Namibia flight attendant jailed for drugs
A former Air Namibia employee and two South African Revenue Service (Sars) custom officials have been sentenced to 10 years and a further five years imprisonment on charges of dealing in drugs, possession of drugs and defeating the ends of justice.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the South African national prosecuting authority (NPA), the three men - Sydney Bilankulu (56), Courdel Khoza (30) and Thabo Dikgale (31) – were sentenced in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg.
Bilankulu was employed as a flight attendant at Air Namibia, while Khoza and Dikgale were customs officials.
Gauteng local division regional spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the accused were charged after Oscar Osigwe, who was sentenced to eight years in 2017, entered into a plea-and-sentence agreement with the state and testified against them.
Swallowed cocaine
Mjonondwane said Osigwe arrived at the OR Tambo International Airport in April 2016 from Sao Paulo, Brazil, in possession of 1 295 grams (89 plastic balls) of cocaine, which he had swallowed.
“Osigwe told the court that in Brazil, a Nigerian man had given him the drugs and bought him a ticket to South Africa.
“He further told the court that the Nigerian man said there would be people at the airport who would be waiting for him, and that his identity had already been shared with these people,” she said.
“On arrival, while he was waiting in the queue, Osigwe was told to stand aside by two Sars customs officials - Khoza and Dikgale.”
While being searched, Osigwe was informed by Dikgale that they had been waiting for him.
“They thereafter went with Osigwe to a hotel, where his SIM card was replaced with a new one that would be used to communicate with him after he excreted the drugs,” Mjonondwane said.
Osigwe was given instructions regarding where to drop off drugs afterwards.
Anonymous tip-off
“While on duty, Sergeant Nathan Govender from the South African Police Service, stationed at the OR Tambo International Airport, received an anonymous tip-off about a man from Sao Paulo with cocaine balls he had swallowed. Govender gathered a team that went to the hotel where Osigwe had checked in,” the NPA said.
Upon arrival, the police team questioned Osigwe, who admitted that he had excreted 71 balls of cocaine, and 18 were still inside his stomach.
Moments later, Osigwe received a call from his co-accused, instructing him to move to the drugs drop-off point. The police team followed him and when he handed over the bag to Bilankulu, who was with Dikgale and Khoza, they were all arrested.
Mjonondwane added that in arguing for a harsh sentence, deputy director for public prosecutions, Advocate Jacob Serepo, argued that the accused abused their authority as law enforcement officers.
“They acted dishonestly. The accused facilitated the importation of drugs, whereas their mandate as law enforcement officers was to curb the scourge of drug-dealing.”
According to a statement issued yesterday by the South African national prosecuting authority (NPA), the three men - Sydney Bilankulu (56), Courdel Khoza (30) and Thabo Dikgale (31) – were sentenced in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg.
Bilankulu was employed as a flight attendant at Air Namibia, while Khoza and Dikgale were customs officials.
Gauteng local division regional spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the accused were charged after Oscar Osigwe, who was sentenced to eight years in 2017, entered into a plea-and-sentence agreement with the state and testified against them.
Swallowed cocaine
Mjonondwane said Osigwe arrived at the OR Tambo International Airport in April 2016 from Sao Paulo, Brazil, in possession of 1 295 grams (89 plastic balls) of cocaine, which he had swallowed.
“Osigwe told the court that in Brazil, a Nigerian man had given him the drugs and bought him a ticket to South Africa.
“He further told the court that the Nigerian man said there would be people at the airport who would be waiting for him, and that his identity had already been shared with these people,” she said.
“On arrival, while he was waiting in the queue, Osigwe was told to stand aside by two Sars customs officials - Khoza and Dikgale.”
While being searched, Osigwe was informed by Dikgale that they had been waiting for him.
“They thereafter went with Osigwe to a hotel, where his SIM card was replaced with a new one that would be used to communicate with him after he excreted the drugs,” Mjonondwane said.
Osigwe was given instructions regarding where to drop off drugs afterwards.
Anonymous tip-off
“While on duty, Sergeant Nathan Govender from the South African Police Service, stationed at the OR Tambo International Airport, received an anonymous tip-off about a man from Sao Paulo with cocaine balls he had swallowed. Govender gathered a team that went to the hotel where Osigwe had checked in,” the NPA said.
Upon arrival, the police team questioned Osigwe, who admitted that he had excreted 71 balls of cocaine, and 18 were still inside his stomach.
Moments later, Osigwe received a call from his co-accused, instructing him to move to the drugs drop-off point. The police team followed him and when he handed over the bag to Bilankulu, who was with Dikgale and Khoza, they were all arrested.
Mjonondwane added that in arguing for a harsh sentence, deputy director for public prosecutions, Advocate Jacob Serepo, argued that the accused abused their authority as law enforcement officers.
“They acted dishonestly. The accused facilitated the importation of drugs, whereas their mandate as law enforcement officers was to curb the scourge of drug-dealing.”
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