A drunk police constable who dumped confiscated dagga (cannabis) plants in a refuse bin, instead of booking them in as exhibits at a police station, has received a suspended five-year prison sentence.
Craig Jodamus, 30, appeared in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court this week before Magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of defeating, or obstructing the course of justice, and was given the suspended prison sentence because prosecutor Simon Leope agreed with defence attorney Aadil Kirsten that the circumstance did not demand Jodamus’s incarceration.
Jodamus and colleague Donovan Pope had done duty together during the Soccer World Cup in 2010.
Two years later, whilst enjoying a braai with friends at his home in Grassy Park, Jodamus received a call from Pope, who was then attached to the Public Order Policing Unit at Faure in the Western Cape.
Pope was involved in a police operation in Grassy Park that night, focussing on crime hotspots and, because he did not know the area, he asked Jodamus to take him to the various hotspots.
Jodamus did so, and then invited Pope to the braai afterwards.
By the time Pope arrived at the braai, Jodamus was confused and inebriated from the excessive intake of liquor, and “not thinking clearly”.
Instead of joining the braai, Pope said he had confiscated dagga plants at one of the hotspots, and wanted Jodamus to “get rid” of the plants for him.
Jodamus said the plants had to be booked in at the police station as exhibits, but because that would have involved time-consuming paper work, and Pope was eager to go home, Pope loaded the plants into the boot of Jodamus’s car.
Reluctant to take the plants, in his inebriated condition, to the Grassy Park police station – which he should have done – Jodamus dumped the plants in the refuse bin instead.
Jodamus apologised to the court for his bad judgment, and asked for mercy.
He said his mistake had caused him sleepless nights, and he blamed Pope for “forcefully” involving him.
This would not have happened had he not consumed liquor that night, he had said.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
