Pretoria - Suspension letters have been served on nine Tshwane Metro Police officers who were allegedly part of a security escort for the Gupta wedding guests.
The police officers have been suspended with full pay, with further action expected against two others.
Console Tleane, the metro police’s executive director: support and administration, said at a media briefing on Friday eight intention-to-suspend letters were served on eight officers, while the ninth one is yet to be served.
Tleane said it had now come to their notice that two more officers were involved in the security escort. This brings their number to 11.
The ninth intention-to-suspend letter could not be served as the officer is currently in hospital.
Tleane would not divulge the nature of the officer’s illness.
He said the officers had failed to respond to the intention-to-suspend letters.
The officers had been given 48 hours – which expired on Thursday – to indicate why they should not be placed on suspension while their case was being investigated.
Preliminary investigations had revealed that the officers had a case to answer.
“The said members will have their firearms and appointment certificates confiscated.”
Tleane said if it was proved that the members did take part in the escorting and/or provision of security to the wedding delegation, they would have done so in their private capacity, without any sanction or permission from management.
“Therefore, the department had nothing whatsoever to do with the escorting and/or provision of security for the wedding delegation,” said Tleane.
He added that no official metro police vehicle was used in the escorting of the delegates.
None of the members involved were part of the metro police’s VIP unit.
“They come from other sections and other regions,” he said.
Tleane added that it didn’t seem that the said officers engaged in alleged acts in violation of a municipal policy that prohibits external work without obtaining prior permission from the head of the department, “who in this case is the chief of police”.
“We can state it on record here, and as already alluded to earlier, that the chief of police did not grant permission for any member to engage in private work.
“The question arises whether, if the officers did provide their services as alleged, did they do so using their status as metro police officers?
“Specifically, did the officers present themselves as such, or use their status, or employ their municipality-issued weapons or any other tool of their police work?” he said.
Tleane said the department took the matter seriously, “and wishes to state that it will do anything to ensure that the matter is addressed swiftly and decisively”. - Pretoria News Weekend