Four police officers are on Friday scheduled to appear before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on charges of theft and defeating the ends of justice.
Mpumalanga spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said the four police officers are three men and one woman.
“Their appearance follows after they were arrested during a joint operation by the Hawks Nelspruit-based serious corruption investigation, serious organised crime investigation, and Mpumalanga crime intelligence on Thursday, November 14, 2024 in Barberton, Mpumalanga,” she said.
She said on Thursday, the four police officers from Barberton detectives went to a “paymaster” of illegal miners, colloquially referred to as zama zamas. The police officers conducted a search at the house.
“During the search, they found an amount of R1,800,000 stashed inside a bag in a wardrobe which they allegedly took. It is reported that the son of the paymaster who was at home, was taken to the police station where they locked him in the police cells without booking in the R1,800,000 in the SAPS 13 (register) and neither did they register any case docket,” said Sekgotodi.
It was further alleged that the police detectives drove away with the money, leaving the son of the zama zama paymaster in the police cells where he stayed for five hours.
“Later, crime intelligence unit was summoned to the police station. On their arrival, they phoned the police officers to come back to the police station. Upon their return, they produced the amount of R200,000 which they alleged was found at the paymasters' house,” said Sekgotodi.
“The complainant, who is the son of the paymaster, opened a case of theft of cash against the four police officials.”
The four detectives were arrested, charged, and detained at the Nelspruit police cells.
Meanwhile, provincial head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Major General Nicholas Gerber has welcomed the swift arrest of the “non-compliant and corrupt” officers.
Gerber vowed that the Hawks in Mpumalanga will investigate and bring all perpetrators of crime to book “without fear or favour”.
He warned police officers across Mpumalanga to refrain from corrupt activities.
IOL