The drug-dealing convictions and seven-year jail sentence of Himeville police Inspector Themba Mtolo, 33, were yesterday upheld in the Pietermaritzburg high court.

The drug-dealing convictions and seven-year jail sentence of Himeville police Inspector Themba Mtolo, 33, were yesterday upheld in the Pietermaritzburg high court.

Mtolo was tried, convicted and sentenced by Pietermaritzburg regional magistrate Freddie de Beer in April 2006.

Sentencing Mtolo, De Beer said it was frightening that police officers were involved in this type of crime.

An undercover police trap testified that he had negotiated with Mtolo to "buy" 50kg of dagga from Mtolo in December 2001.

During the negotiations Mtolo was driving a police vehicle and was dressed in a police uniform. He handed him R2400.

Five months later the undercover police trap arranged to "buy" 69,5kg of dagga from Mtolo and paid him R3500.

Acting judge Samuel Luthuli said that instead of fighting drug traffic Mtolo had taken part in dealing in dagga in an area close to the Lesotho border at which there was a big dagga problem. - Sapa