At least six police officers have been arrested in the past week in separate cases for serious crimes, including murder, rape, robbery and corruption, officials said on Monday.
In one of the cases, a state vehicle was reportedly used in a robbery, while in another case, a woman reporting domestic violence was allegedly raped at the victim support centre.
In Limpopo, Warrant Officer Isaac Rammala, 45, was granted R1500 bail in the Seshego Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges of raping a 21-year-old woman at Seshego Victim Support Centre, said Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi.
The woman allegedly went to Seshego police station on Saturday night to report domestic violence.
She was taken to the Victim Support Centre for temporary accommodation pending police intervention when she was allegedly raped by the officer.
“He was then arrested and stripped of his uniform,” said Mulaudzi.
His case was postponed to January 24.
In Gauteng, three members of the Pretoria flying squad were to appear in the Pretoria Magistra's Court on Wednesday on charges of robbery, kidnapping and corruption.
Lit-Col Tshisikhawe Ndou on Monday said Warrant Officer Johannes Moja, 46, Constable Patrick Matlala, 32 and Constable Mkhonto, 29, appeared in court on Friday and their case was postponed to Wednesday for a formal bail application.
Ndou said it was alleged that two of the three police officers were on duty at Wierdabrug, when they were joined by Constable Mkhonto who claimed to have information about drugs.
The three proceeded to the alleged house and upon arrival it was ransacked and nothing was found.
During the search, a bag containing R53,000 was found on the table.
“Subsequently, the suspects started accusing the victim of being a drug dealer based on the money found. He was ordered to follow them in his motor vehicle to the police station for detention.”
Along the way they stopped and the victim offered them R500 for his freedom.
They refused to take the money and instead demanded R20,000, which he gave them.
He went to the police station and laid a charge. All three suspects were later arrested.
Also in Gauteng another officer, Constable Mongwe from Norkem Park, was arrested in Sandton, Johannesburg on a charge of business robbery which was committed earlier this month, said Ndou.
He briefly appeared at the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Friday and his case was postponed to Monday for formal bail application.
He was alleged to have been part of a group of five who stormed into a house in Sandton and robbed the victims about R400,000 in cash, US dollars, house keys as well as an Apple Macbook Pro.
Ndou said a state vehicle was used to commit the crime.
“The constable was subsequently arrested and more arrests are expected soon.”
The officers have been suspended from the service without pay according to Section 43 of the South African Police Service Act.
Last week, a suspended policeman was arrested for the murder of Chanelle Henning, 26, in the Pretoria suburb of Faerie Glen.
Gerhardus Petrus du Plessis, 34, a suspended detective constable at the Hercules Police Station in Pretoria has been charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition.
Henning was shot dead while driving home after dropping off her five-year-old son at a pre-primary school in Manitoba Drive.
Beeld newspaper reported last week that more than 500 police officers have been arrested for crimes in Gauteng since last October. - Sapa