Cape Town - Five suspects, including two policemen, arrested on suspicion that they were on their way to rob a Chinese businessman have appeared in the Bellville Magistrate's Court.
The two policemen also stand accused of stealing police vehicles and their charges were elevated to schedule 5 offences in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act.
Thursday's court appearances were for the bail information hearings of Constable Luxolo Kowa, of the controversial Major Operations Reactions Team (Mort), and Constable Luthando Mqikwa, an Harare SAPS detective, along with Siyabonga Dlanga and twins Sipho and Siphiwo Fex.
The five are facing two charges of motor vehicle theft, two counts of fraud, one of possession of housebreaking equipment and one of attempted house-robbery.
The accused were not asked to plead when the charges were read out before magistrate Gwen Mbiza.
The matter relates to an incident last month when vigilant Bellville police officers spotted two vehicles, a VW Caddy and a marked police Opel Corsa, in the area; they later stopped at a residence in De Grendel Road, Parow North.
According to police spokesperson Andre Traut, once the occupants became aware of the police presence they fled, the police in hot pursuit.
Traut added that the VW Caddy, an official SAPS vehicle, was driven by a police constable with two civilians inside, while the police Opel Corsa was driven by a civilian with a police constable as a passenger. Police said both vehicles were fitted with cloned registration plates and removed from the SAPS premises without prior authorisation. It’s alleged that the vehicles were stolen from the SAPS premises.
However, legal representatives for the police officers vehemently protested and said: “Your honour, my clients didn't steal the cars. Authorisation was given to them for the cars to be taken. The only charge they should be facing is that of an internal disciplinary action.”
Shortly after the postponement, Constable Mqikwa went to Blue Downs Magistrate's Court where he appeared on a car hijacking case relating to an incident in January last year in Mfuleni. The five remain in custody and their bail application will be heard on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the alleged operations of two other police rogue units purportedly linked to criminal activities in the Milnerton and Table View area is continuing.