Cop jailed for dealing cocaine

A former policeman, who allegedly rammed the car of the magistrate who previously presided over his case, has been sentenced to six years in prison for dealing in cocaine.

Durban - A former policeman has been sentenced to six years in prison for dealing in cocaine.

Leon Govender was sentenced by Durban Regional Court magistrate, Anand Maharaj, on Tuesday after the original magistrate who presided over the trial, Bhekizitha Phoswa, was forced to recuse himself from sentencing the former Mountain Rise policeman.

This was after it was alleged that Govender deliberately rammed into him in an apparent vehicle collision to change his fate.

Govender, 45, of Northdale, and his co-accused, Brenton Frank, 42, pleaded guilty to two counts of dealing in cocaine in October.

The offences occurred in August and the drugs involved had an estimated street value of R6 000.

The pair were expected to be sentenced earlier this month. But instead Govender brought an application for Phoswa to recuse himself from sentencing proceedings following the “accident” in which Govender allegedly side-swiped Phoswa’s new Mercedes-Benz in Pietermaritz Street on June 3.

Govender brought the application for recusal on the basis that he had a “reasonable apprehension” that Phoswa would no longer be able to deal with his sentencing in an impartial manner.

Sentencing Govender, who is married with two children and has a previous conviction for dealing in drugs, Maharaj said it was evident he had not learnt from his mistakes, nor did he care if he was caught.

Maharaj said he believed only a jail term would send the correct message about the seriousness of dealing in drugs and the deadly impact it had on society. “If too lenient a sentence is imposed, then it creates the impression that the crime is worth the gamble.”

Daily News