Durban - THREE policemen are due in court on Monday, facing charges of robbery, extortion and attempted murder, for robbing businesses of cash and cigarettes in separate incidents in the province.
They were arrested by the KwaZulu-Natal police anti-corruption unit on Sunday.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said two police constables, based at the Chatsworth police station, entered a tuckshop in Moorton a week ago.
“They demanded to search the premises. They seized cigarettes valued at R14 500 as well, as R2 000 in cash, before leaving the premises. However, the items seized were not handed in at the Chatsworth police station,” Naicker said.
The tuckshop owner reported the matter to police. Naicker said a case of robbery was opened at Chatsworth police station and handed over to the anti-corruption unit. The policemen, aged 32 and 36, were on duty in the Community Services Centre at the police station when they were arrested. They will appear in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court on corruption and robbery charges.
In a separate incident, the unit was investigating a case where a 26-year-old police constable, based at the Westville SAPS detective branch, was arrested on Friday in the Mpumalanga policing precinct.
Naicker said four men allegedly approached a tuckshop owner, at Ntshongweni, on Friday. They accused him of selling cigarettes and demanded cash from him. He handed over R500.
“They then proceeded to another tuckshop in the area, where members of the community confronted them. The men abandoned their grey Polo Vivo and fled on foot. However, one of them was apprehended by the community. He was handed over to Mpumalanga police,” Naicker said.
Three others fled the scene.
Charges of extortion and attempted murder were opened against the policeman at the Mpumalanga police station. He will appear in the Camperdown Magistrate’s Court today.
Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Khombinkosi Jula said there was no place to hide for corrupt police officers.
Jula said he was confident the SAPS could win the war on crime if people remained steadfast in their commitment to expose corrupt police officers to police management, and did not turn a blind eye to criminality in their neighbourhoods.
“Do not to fall into the trap of colluding with corrupt police officers. I am so pleased that citizens have heeded my call and are regularly arriving at our police stations to open cases against corrupt police officers,” the commissioner said.
SA Police Union provincial chairperson Bongani Mncwango said training and recruiting processes had no bearing on their members’ alleged criminal behaviour.
“We have a Covid-19 crisis in our hands, yet we have law enforcement officers breaking the law. It is disturbing. However, people are innocent until proven guilty by the court of law. Therefore, we represent members who are facing allegations until they are cleared or convicted,” he said.