Cape Town - A Nyanga police detective has been suspended after he allegedly released a suspect from custody illegally.
The suspect was arrested after she was found in possession of stolen goods which she allegedly bought after a house break-in.
Following a complaint from the community and an internal investigation, the police detective was arrested.
In December last year, a 31-year-old constable was also suspended after he allegedly raped a suspected shoplifter.
He was charged with pointing a firearm, rape, theft, assault, sexual assault, and kidnapping.
Police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk said the member was charged for defeating the ends of justice.
He said the investigation continues.
“Our policy is to conduct a departmental investigation following any misconduct or criminal investigation against a member of the SAPS. However, this is an internal process between the employer and the employee and dealt with as such,” he said.
Van Wyk said the suspect who was illegally released was rearrested and sent to court.
Nyanga Policing Forum secretary Dumisani Qwebe, who condemned the act, said it caused instability in the service and in the community.
“These kinds of incidents are worrying and always one of our talking points in our meetings, where we are constantly raising the view with police management that corruption in the service is never tolerated.
“These acts are one of the causes of a breakdown of trust between the police and the community. We cannot afford to have the community working against the police.
“While this is a cause by one officer, we understand that it taints the whole reputation of the police station, but it becomes our responsibility to ensure the trust is restored,” he said.
Qwebe said the CPF would ensure that the incident did not deter them in their quest to move the station to number 25 of the top 30 murder police stations nationally when the next crime statistics are released.
The police station is currently at the 15th spot according to crime statistics of the third quarter of the 2021/22 financial year.