Cape Town - A Ghost Squad cop is being investigated for allegedly enticing motorists to dice with him and then arresting them for speeding.
A Plattekloof man blew the whistle after he discovered the Ghost Squad member’s car also had two different number plates. A video of the vehicle was posted online, showing the front and back number plates with different registrations.
Francois Woudberg, who posted the video, has accused officer Jody-Wade Benjamin of entrapping unsuspecting motorists.
“On Sunday 3 September my friends and I were at the garage at La Belle in Stikland at about 11.30pm. Traffic cops pulled up with no lights and put a guy in handcuffs on the garage property,” he said. “We then saw that the number plates on the white Volkswagen Golf were not the same. We took pictures of the car as this could not be legal.
“The front had a CFM number plate, and there was a CCT number plate at the back of the car. I asked another officer whether this was legal and a Ghost Squad officer told me to email JP Smith to find out if it’s legal.”
But this is the real number plate on the back of the car.
Woudberg explained how motorists were enticed to dice with the Ghost cop in the white Golf GTi.
“The car stands at the robots and starts revving, like calling you out to race,” he says. “The moment the robot changes and you drive, ready to race, the officer puts on the lights and then he takes you.
"You don’t know this is an official as you can only see the front number plate. They speed without lights and drive 180km/h in a 60km/h zone.
“The Ghost Squad is supposed to be an example to drivers. They don’t just break the laws of the road but they’re all verbally abusive, they make as if they are above the law. This officer needs to be dismissed, all this officer’s cases needs to be thrown out as it was not obtained legally.”
GHOST BUSTED: Traffic Officer Jody-Wade Benjamin is under investigation by City Traffic Services. Picture: Jack Lestrade
Executive director for safety and security Richard Bosman, said the city was investigating. He confirmed Benjamin was employed by the City.
“The City is in possession of video taken of a stationary City vehicle indicating two different number plates," he said. "Having two different number plates is illegal.
“The officer is a member of the City’s Traffic Service. The City is therefore investigating and, once the investigation has been completed, the necessary steps will be taken.”