Kimberley - Northern Cape police have refused to provide any comment on the apparent link between an alleged money runner, who was arrested near Colesberg in possession of a large amount of cash, and a family relation who is a high-ranking police officer based in Pretoria.
This is despite the Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Peter Shivuri, commending members under his command for their vigilance in bringing the accused to book on the weekend.
The accused, Jermaine Johnson, 21, and Dearon Noble, 18, were charged with money laundering after they were found to be in possession of a large amount of cash, believed to be around R2 million, which was stashed in the boot of a white Volkswagen Golf V that they were travelling in on the N1 highway near Colesberg.
The money was sorted into denominations of R100 and R200 bank notes.
It is believed that the accused were transporting the money on behalf of a businessman, from Pretoria to Cape Town.
One of the accused, who is, according to reliable sources, a family relation of a major-general in the Detective Services Division in Pretoria, was wearing a yellow and blue, branded police tracksuit top at the time of his arrest.
No one has confirmed whether the accused is in fact employed by the SAPS or how he came into the possession of clothing bearing the SAPS logo if he is not a police officer.
The police have also not divulged the amount of cash that was seized due to “investigation reasons”.
Police spokesperson, Captain Olebogeng Tawana, pointed out on Tuesday that they did not comment on “parental links”.
“We have nothing to do with who they belong to. All we can say is that we arrested the suspects with a lot of cash and they were travelling from Pretoria to Cape Town. They are in custody.”
Picture: Supplied by SAPS
According to the National Prosecuting Authority both accused are still in custody and will reappear in the Colesberg Magistrate’s Court on Friday to arrange legal representation.
The accused were stopped and searched during a roadblock at the Colesberg weighbridge as part of a multi-disciplinary operation involving police, provincial traffic and Home Affairs at the borders of neighbouring provinces - the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and Western Cape - over the long weekend.
The focus of the trilateral operation was on illegal firearms, stolen vehicles, the transportation of illegal or stolen goods, drugs and the tracing of wanted suspects and undocumented persons.