Rustenburg - Three men arrested in connection with fraud related to supplying furniture, were arrested when they allegedly offered the police a bribe of R1.8million in the Eastern Cape.
One of them allegedly stole R300 000 from the bribe money, when it was delivered.
The three were arrested in Gauteng and in the Eastern Cape on Saturday, during a multi-disciplinary operation carried out by the SAPS Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit, Undercover Crime Intelligence, the National Director of Public Prosecution and the Tactical Response Team.
"According to the information, the investigation was prompted by complaints received about questionable services of a company which supplied furniture," Eastern Cape police spokesperson, Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana, said.
“The said company did not follow the correct procurement processes and that it was not truthful in conducting its business.
“The arrests followed after a request was made to the Investigative Directorate of the National Director of Public Prosecutions to investigate the services of this Gauteng based company," Kinana said.
"It is further alleged that the suspect attempted to bribe the investigators with an amount of R1.8 million. One of them stole a sum of R300 000 at the time of delivering the money.
“This meant that he only delivered a sum of R1.5 million to the investigation team. The suspects aged between 45 and 62 were arrested in Gauteng, Gqeberha and East London respectively at their places of residence on Saturday morning," he said.
Eastern Cape provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene, applauded the sterling work of the investigating team for the weekend arrests.
"Those who continue to steal from the coffers of government institutions, must be made to face the consequences of their actions.
“This is one of the examples we have made and more will be made as long as we still have people who seem to be dishonest in our society," Lt-Gen Mene said.
The three were expected to appear in East London Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing charges relating to corruption.
IOL