Potchefstroom - A former South African Police Service (SAPS) constable will appear in the Wolmaransstad Magistrate's Court on Monday for allegedly aiding a suspect to escape from lawful custody, North West police said.
The 38-year-old man was arrested by provincial organised crime unit officers on Friday, Colonel Adele Myburgh said.
On August 17, a suspect was arrested by family violence, child protection, and sexual offences (FCS) unit officers in Wolmaranstad after being linked to 28 cases of alleged rape and a murder.
"The suspect was allegedly a friend to the former police member who was working at Wolmaransstad," she said.
Provincial organised crime unit officers rearrested the suspect, and during police investigations, it was discovered that the former police officer allegedly assisted the suspect to escape. After the investigation was finalised the docket was taken to the senior public prosecutor in Klerksdorp for a decision and the former police officer was subsequently arrested, Myburgh said.
North West police commissioner Lt-Gen Baile Motswenyane congratulated the investigation team for the arrest. "The police will continue to work hard to achieve the successful prosecution of offenders and get rid of corrupt police officials," Motswenyane said.