A former Eskom employee at Kusile Power Station in Mpumalanga was handed a suspended sentence for diesel theft, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as the Hawks) said.

Zisebenzele Anton Gumede, 57, was sentenced by the Ogies District Court on Tuesday.

Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Dineo Sekgotodi said Gumede was arrested in July 2022 at the power station where he was employed.

"It was reported that on the day, Gumede was on duty and was driving the water bowser. He then decided to drive out of the power station without permission from his supervisor," she said.

"It was further reported that at about 6.30am, the security on duty noticed that Gumede drove out, and when he drove in, they stopped him and noticed that the water bowser truck fuel tank was empty," Sekgotodi said.

She said that the security checked the kilometers, and found that the driver had driven less than 10 kilometres, but the truck fuel was empty.

"They then checked on the registers and found that the vehicle had a full fuel tank. The driver failed to explain why he only drove less than 10 kilometers with the full tank."

Sekgotodi said that officers from Phola police station were called to the crime scene, and a case of theft was registered, and Gumede was subsequently arrested.

"The matter was investigated by the task team from head office, and the case was provisionally withdrawn," Sekgotodi said.

"The case was handed over to the Middelburg based Serious Organised Crime Investigation for further investigation. The investigation was finalised, and a J175 was authorised and executed on the suspect and the matter was placed back on the court roll for prosecution."

Gumede was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment which was wholly suspended for a period of five years on condition that he's not convicted for the same offense during the period of suspension.

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

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