Cape Town - A sum of R1000 paid to a police captain accused of extortion was for the repayment of a loan, the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court heard on Thursday.
Captain Riaan Jordaan, accused of accepting a corrupt payment, claimed the money was the repayment of numerous loans he made to student Constable Zolani Jam-jam (SUBS: CORR) in August 2011.
At the time, Jordaan was commander of the visible policing unit at Wolseley.
Jordaan said that Jam-jam pressed the charges to avoid repaying the money.
In October 2011, Jordaan was arrested and released on R2500 bail after pleading not guilty to a charge of extortion and another of corruption.
Jam-jam, who was a police reservist at the time, alleged that Jordaan gave him a letter of recommendation in 2009, which was required for his permanent appointment to the police force.
In February 2010, Jam-jam was accepted as a full-time police officer.
Prosecutor Xolile Jonas alleged that Jordaan regarded the letter of recommendation as a “favour” and that after Jam-jam's appointment, he repeatedly told Jam-jam: “You owe me.”
When Jam-jam asked him what he meant by this, Jordaan allegedly replied that he expected R4000 in exchange for the recommendation.
Jordaan denied this.
“I never made any threats, nor did I ever say that Jam-jam owes me for helping him get a permanent post in the police.”
He said he lent Jam-jam the money because Jam-jam did not earn much money as a farmworker and as a police reservist.
Jordaan said he had kept no record of the loans, but estimated that Jam-jam owed him R3000.
According to the charge sheet, an undercover operation was set up to trap Jordaan, during which he accepted R1000 from Jam-jam.
Under cross-examination, Jordaan said he had 22 years of service and regarded Jam-jam as a son.
He also claimed that reservists received no remuneration, but this was refuted by official documents which showed Jam-jam was paid for 64 hours work between September and December 2006.
Jordaan said: “I agree what I said about reservists not being paid was not true.”
The trial continues on Friday. - Sapa