Johannesburg - A constable was arrested on Thursday for allegedly releasing a suspect and taking a stolen television set, Mpumalanga police said.
The 27-year-old officer faces charges of corruption, defeating the ends of justice and possession of suspected stolen property, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said.
He was arrested after police discovered the policeman had released a 22-year-old man who had been arrested for housebreaking.
The man was interviewed by police for a housebreaking incident committed on the first week of February in Secunda.
“During the interview, the suspect admitted to have been involved in another burglary that had been committed between the night of January 17 and 18 in Secunda,” Mohlala said.
A television set was allegedly stolen during the burglary.
“He further told the police that the television was allegedly taken by the constable who instructed him to wash a state vehicle and then released him,” he said.
During investigations police found that the officer had already sold the television set.
“He (officer) took his colleagues to the place where the television was and it was recovered,” Mohlala said.
Both men are expected to appear in the Secunda Magistrate's Court on Friday.
Sapa