Johannesburg - An on-air prank which involved local entertainer Desmond Dube playing the part of a "corrupt cop" almost backfired when the popular personality came close to ending up behind bars.
Although the South African singer, actor, mime artist and entertainer might have feared for his future at the time, he has since laughed it off and has applauded the SA Police Service (SAPS) for their "swift action".
The prank began when Jacaranda FM host, Rian van Heerden, complained on his show, The Scenic Drive, about the modus operandi of some police officers who he said were too eager to take bribes from drivers.
He then invited Dube onto the show on Thursday to play the character of a "corrupt cop" on air.
Dube’s portrayal of a crooked cop was so convincing that it caught the ear of the national police service who immediately ordered a contingent of Crime Intelligence members to storm the radio station’s offices in Midrand to arrest the "corrupt official".
At this stage, the police were unaware that the character was in fact Dube
Following the ordeal, Van Heerden told listeners on his radio show, while Dube was still in the studio, that this was the first time a prank like this was pulled on a South African radio station.
Although those in the studio were in stitches with laughter at the reality that Dube could have been arrested, Van Heerden praised the police for their action.
“To me, it’s a great sign there are people who are being activated to make sure corrupt cops do not spoil the work of the police,” Van Heerden said on air.
Dube echoed these sentiments.
“I think it’s amazing there was a real quick response and often when you hear people talk about our police in South Africa they like, ‘they take they own time’, but this is a real quick response, amazing work,” said Dube which was met with applause by those in the studio.
Van Heerden said it was the provincial commissioner who was alerted to the "corrupt cop" interview who then escalated the matter to a national level who ordered the arrest of the official on the radio.
“That would have been great radio if they had arrested the cop on the air, but no police, it is the loveable Desmond Dube,” said Van Heerden.