Disgraced former cop appeals jail sentence for dealing in drugs

Former cop Reneal Francis, who was sentenced to 15 years in jail for dealing in drugs on Wednesday by the East London magistrate’s court, immediately appealed against the sentence.

Francis, 34, was found guilty on two counts of drug dealing after he sold 96 mandrax tablets in November 2012 to undercover Hawks officers. The undercover sting was led by Hawks Captain Raymond Buys, whose testimony sank Francis and another four corrupt policemen. Francis breathed a sigh of relief when magistrate Saida Jacobs postponed his appeal to June 11 and extended his bail.

Francis was arrested with four former police officers in April 2013. All five were in their early 30s and attached to the Mdantsane NU1 station’s crime prevention unit.

The officers raided the homes of drug dealers in the township, and instead of entering the drugs into evidence, they sold the seized drugs back to the community.

The police officials would look for potential buyers, be it people who had already been identified by themselves or possibly new individuals willing to purchase drugs or tablets from them.

In passing down judgment, Jacobs said the court had to impose an appropriate sentence on the former disgraced policeman.

Francis, who holds a diploma in Information Technology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, is married with one minor child.

“The accused, the only child of his parents, and his family is living with his parents, who provide an extended family support structure. It is submitted on behalf of the accused that his favourable upbringing and loving family life indicates that he can be reformed and should be given an opportunity to reform within society.

“The state submits that the personal circumstances of the accused cannot be regarded as compelling and that deterrence as the main object of punishment in this case not only refers to the accused but also other members of the SAPS.

“A further aggravating factor is that the accused was attached to the crime prevention unit, the unit tasked amongst other functions to fight drug dealing and to protect the community against drug dealers,” she said.

“As such the accused did not only breach his position of trust as a police officer. That is in general to uphold the laws of the country and to protect its citizens, but he turns into a drug dealer, a category of persons society seeks protection from.”

She said Francis committed the crime out of greed. “Dealing in drugs inevitably results in grave harm to others and this court must pass a sentence that has the requisite deterrent effect.”

The other four policemen were sentenced to between 1215 years each in 2014.

A further factor is that the accused was attached to top crime unit