Tebogo Msimanga |
A 53-year-old Belinda Swart pleaded guilty in the Secunda Magistrate Court on Thursday, 26 May 2022 for possession of a dangerous dependent producing substance (methamphetamine). The conviction followed the arrest of the accused on Thursday, 13 January 2022 by the Hawks in Secunda together with Crime Intelligence and K9 Unit when they promptly responded to information about a suspect allegedly dealing in drugs.
Mpumalanga Hawks Spokesperson Dineo Sekgotodi said a disruptive search and seizure operation was executed on the premises and Swart was found in possession of drugs (chrystal meth). “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect was previously arrested by the Hawks in 2018 for contravention of the Drugs and Drugs Trafficking Act. The accused was later in August 2018 found guilty and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment of which 1 year 6 months were suspended for 5 years, with the choice of acknowledgement of guilty of R12 000.00.”
Sekgotodi added that on Thursday, 26 May 2022 Swart was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment suspended for 5 years. “Additional sentence was posed on the accused for a fine of R9000 on her previous conviction. The court made it clear to her that this was her final warning, that she should not be found guilty of a similar crime”.
