South African Minister's Wife Jailed For Drug Trafficking
5/6/2011 2:04 PM ET
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(RTTNews) - A court in South Africa on Friday sentenced Sheryl Cwele, wife of the country's Security Minister, and an accomplice to 12 years in prison each for trafficking drugs.

The sentencing came a day after the High Court in the city of Pietermaritzburg convicted Cwele, who is married to State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele, along with her accomplice Frank Nabolisa, a Nigerian national, of drug trafficking.

They were convicted after the court found the pair guilty of using young women as carriers to smuggle cocaine into South Africa from Turkey and South America. Both the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

While delivering the sentence, Judge Piet Koen noted: "Many families are affected by drugs which are brought here illegally. They suffer as a result of dealers who often initiate addiction by constant supply and thrive on that addiction."

Lawyers of Cwele and Nabolisa said after the sentencing that they would appeal against the verdict. The pair, who faced up to 15 years in prison each before Friday's sentencing, will remain free until the appeal hearing.

There were no immediate public comments from Siyabonga Cwele about the conviction of his wife. He had earlier denied any knowledge of his wife's alleged drug trafficking activities, but said on Friday that he would not comment on the case until after the appeal was heard.


The allegations of drug trafficking against Sheryl Cwele first surfaced after a South African woman was arrested with nine kilograms of cocaine at an airport in Brazil in 2008. The woman, Tessa Beetge, is currently serving an eight-year jail sentence in Sao Paulo.

The case against Cwele and Nabolisa was strengthened by the testimony of state witness Charmaine Moss, another South African woman the pair had attempted to recruit to smuggle cocaine from Turkey. Moss had testified earlier that Cwele and Nabolisa had offered her more than $3,500 for picking up a parcel in Turkey.

by RTT Staff Writer

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

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It is always ibos. Ibo kwenu ibo kwenu

I heard the news on NPR and I instinctively knew the perpetrator had to be Ibo

Ibos. . .

the nigerians in south africa are south african, not nigerian.

Rubbish! How do you claim Nigerian man destroys the life of a South African Woman - should it not be the other way round.

A young man embarks upon a journey of making a better life, just because he is smart, the South Africa security through the wife of the minister moves in to destroy his ambition. He is the only Nigerian in the entire drug trafficking network, so how come he has so much influence on the entire group filled with South Africans and the 'South African Security operatives'.

zstranger:

I heard the news on NPR and I instinctively knew the perpetrator had to be Ibo

Ibos. . .

seanet02:

It is always ibos. Ibo kwenu ibo kwenu

You guys should call back your tribal war jet, war tanks and missiles. This is beyond tribal issues.

^^
You are not new, and you are wasting your time replying fools. You have so much time on your hands o.

Who is 'poor' now. Is it the wife of a powerful security chief who seal all the intelligence or the poor young nigerian in search of a better life and lure into drugs

seanet02:

It is always ibos. Ibo kwenu ibo kwenu

@ all Igbo haters on this thread, dan banza kawai!
Sai Igbo. It rocks to be Heebo!

As Ezeuche sayed, Bkbabe is now a spent force, and a shell of his former self. Thanks to basktmout, komando,Ezeuche, chyz, mekkusyx, e.t.c
Seanet02 is just a big fool. He has no substance.
Ystranger was forced to abandon his name and take zstranger(bkbabe you can't hide).
You are all big blockheads.

how is dis related to nigerians or IGBOS. do they suck?

mbatuku1:

^^
You are not new, and you are wasting your time replying fools. You have so much time on your hands o.

don't mind me . . . i was disgusted

BBC version

While i do not want to engage in any tribal bashing, i must however state that of all the Nigerians dealing in drugs in SA ,99% are igbos. Out of that amount, 50% are of Anambra extraction. Yorubas  who engage in crime here are predominantly into credit card fraud. The igbo criminals here are into 419,drug dealing, kidnappings, armed  robbery, prostitution s syndicates and  immigration  fraud.

Igbos and Yorubas  in SA hardly mingle. The Igbos have their own hangout joints  and the yorubas have  theirs. I am not going to lie,i hate these criminals with a passion because their crimes have ruined  many lives and they never show remorse even when it concern kids. Unfortunately, innocent Nigerians suffer here because of the negative perceptions which these animals have created about Nigerians.

playmode:

While i do not want to engage in any tribal bashing, i must however state that of all the Nigerians dealing in drugs in SA ,99% are igbos. Out that amount, 50% are of Anambra extraction. The igbo criminals here are into 419,drug dealing, kidnappings, armed robbery, prostitution s syndicates and immigration fraud.

Well, I guess the story ends here then. . . . .

The only code of conduct that everyday nigerians knows is criminality.Criminality is what nigerian system is built on. Any weak minded nigerian is prone to crime,those that are fundamentaly ignorant.

^^^^Mostly Ibos tho. . . . . ^^^

bk.babe97y:

^^^^Mostly Ibos tho. . . . . ^^^

Considering the fact that we fought with our precious lives to keep them in our country.
I think we still love them

Can someone sing along with me
Na who MAGA MAGA
Na who be MUGU MUGU

@bkfaggot,
Its clear your perverted obsession withanything Igbo has'nt ended yet. Go suck on your fathers 'rod.'

@ bkmoron,
Basktmout is my good friend. wait till I tell him your moronic azz is back to posting tibalistic ish.

playmode:

While i do not want to engage in any tribal bashing, i must however state that of all the Nigerians dealing in drugs in SA ,99% are igbos. Out of that amount, 50% are of Anambra extraction. Yorubas  who engage in crime here are predominantly into credit card fraud. The igbo criminals here are into 419,drug dealing, kidnappings, armed  robbery, prostitution s syndicates and  immigration  fraud.

Igbos and Yorubas  in SA hardly mingle. The Igbos have their own hangout joints  and the yorubas have  theirs. I am not going to lie,i hate these criminals with a passion because their crimes have ruined  many lives and they never show remorse even when it concern kids. Unfortunately, innocent Nigerians suffer here because of the negative perceptions which these animals have created about Nigerians.

Is that so?

When Nigerian breaks apart, SW must not carry on with the name "Nigeria". See how Nigeria has been rubbished.

After the break up we shall know who is who. ah ahnnnnnnn.

Ileke-IdI:

Is that so?

When Nigerian breaks apart, SW must not carry on with the name "Nigeria". See how Nigeria has been rubbished.

After the break up we shall know who is who. ah ahnnnnnnn.

My sentiments exactly.Even if Nigeria does not break up,i wish we could get a president who could rename the country.A real and well planned re-branding of sorts complete with a new flag and new national anthem as well as a new and focused Government.Nigeria is the name given to us by Lord Luggard,it is not a name that really represents the union of the tribes of Nigeria.I feel that Nigeria should be renamed ,the name Nigeria is like an HIV stigma especially to Nigerians living in Diaspora.Nobody wants to touch you or associate with you.Our brothers with criminal intentions have severely dented any fabric of pride that the name has left.

Here in SA ,i always have to be extra mum about my country of origin if i want to close business deals ,get tenders,join social associations e.t.c Immediately they find out you are a Nigerian,they will make one ridiculous excuse and dump you like a piece of Garbage.Most South Africans are Naijaphobic and i can't say i blame them,we have seriously terrorized this country since 1995.The only people who seem to tolerate Nigerians easily are SA's black women because they have this perception that Nigerians have b*gger cocks and are better lovers than SA men.

Things have however improved in the last two years in SA.Many Nigerian criminals are either returning to Nigeria or doing a normal job. Nigerians criminals have been out of the media for quite a while and i must say that i am starting to enjoy their absence from the media.That is not to say that they are still not peddling drugs on the streets but that their numbers has greatly reduced.The SAPS (South African Police Service)did a great job of tracking ,arresting, charging ,prosecuting and jailing most of them pre -world cup.Quite a few of those who never got arrested have now ventured in to businesses like hairdressing/barbing salons, restaurants,Home/carpet Cleaners,Auto Mechanics,Spaza shop suppliers e.t.c

;d ;d ;d :-x

playmode:

My sentiments exactly.Even if Nigeria does not break up,i wish we could get a president who could rename the country.A real and well planned re-branding of sorts complete with a new flag and new national anthem as well as a new and focused Government.Nigeria is the name given to us by Lord Luggard,it is not a name that really represents the union of the tribes of Nigeria.I feel that Nigeria should be renamed ,the name Nigeria is like an HIV stigma especially to Nigerians living in Diaspora.Nobody wants to touch you or associate with you.Our brothers with criminal intentions have severely dented any fabric of pride that the name has left.

Here in SA ,i always have to be extra mum about my country of origin if i want to close business deals ,get tenders,join social associations e.t.c Immediately they find out you are a Nigerian,they will make one ridiculous excuse and dump you like a piece of Garbage.Most South Africans are Naijaphobic and i can't say i blame them,we have seriously terrorized this country since 1995.The only people who seem to tolerate Nigerians easily are SA's black women because they have this perception that Nigerians have b*gger cocks and are better lovers than SA men.

Things have however improved in the last two years in SA.Many Nigerian criminals are either returning to Nigeria or doing a normal job. Nigerians criminals have been out of the media for quite a while and i must say that i am starting to enjoy their absence from the media.That is not to say that they are still not peddling drugs on the streets but that their numbers has greatly reduced.The SAPS (South African Police Service)did a great job of tracking ,arresting, charging ,prosecuting and jailing most of them pre -world cup.Quite a few of those who never got arrested have now ventured in to businesses like hairdressing/barbing salons, restaurants,Home/carpet Cleaners,Auto Mechanics,Spaza shop suppliers e.t.c

You're not the only one that's worried. My roommate from Burkina-Faso (whose father is a political minister) told me some stories about Nigerian bankers in her country. She asked me if I was Igbo, I said no lol. Then she started talking.
Mehn, some tribe already rubbished themselves internationally, yet they want to come on NL to rubbish others. Unfortunately, Yorubas have to be rubbished together with them under one flag.

Imagine a Nigerian trying to get into the law system in one of these Anti-Nigerian countries. I'm worried. I'll be the first one to apply for my Odua passport when the time comes. I cannot stand this any longer!


So what nationality do you claim?

Ileke-IdI:

You're not the only one that's worried. My roommate from Burkina-Faso (whose father is a political minister) told me some stories about Nigerian bankers in her country. She asked me if I was Igbo, I said no lol. Then she started talking.
Mehn, some tribe already rubbished themselves internationally, yet they want to come on NL to rubbish others. Unfortunately, Yorubas have to be rubbished together with them under one flag.

Imagine a Nigerian  trying to get into the law system in one of these Anti-Nigerian countries. I'm worried. I'll be the first one to apply for my Odua passport when the time comes. I cannot stand this any longer!


So what nationality do you claim?

I am already a nationalized SA citizen but my accent is still slightly Nigerian.When South Africans ask me where i am from ,i just tell them that i am from Benin 

@Playmode: u trying to get a SA accent? R u serious? Their accent is ridiculous. . . . .