Five of the 10 suspects, including a female Mitchells Plain police officer, arrested for cloning fuel cards were granted bail on Wednesday while the rest await further trial on November 5.
The suspects were arrested on October 28 at a petrol station in Paarl and appeared at the Paarl Magistrates’ Court while the Daily Voice has learnt the female cop was Thina Ntsinga, an intern at the Mitchells Plain Police Station.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalia confirmed the suspects appeared in court but could not say if Ntsinga was among those who got bail.
“Of the accused, five suspects each got bail of R1000 each while the rest of the accused will apply for bail on November 5,” he said.
A source said colleagues at the police station were surprised to hear Ntsinga was also arrested.
“We know she stayed in Langa and she kept mostly to herself at the station but I cannot tell you how long she was working there.
“Most of the other guys that were arrested with her also stay in Langa, while a few of the guys are from Milnerton, Paarl and George.”
Police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut said the syndicate has been investigated for a while.
He says detectives were led to a petrol filling station in Paarl last week where the suspects were apprehended in possession of 52 cloned fuel cards, mostly linked to government vehicles.
“Three point of sale devices, 14 cellphones, 74 25-litre containers, four vehicles, fuel slips and cash to the tune of R32 000 were also confiscated,” said Traut.