Cop
hospitalised for shock after being bust for blackmail
29
October 2016, 09:57am
ANA
Reporter
File photo
Caledon – A South African Police Service (SAPS) constable
stationed at Caledon was so shocked when he was arrested for blackmailing a
dentist in a nearby town that he had to be hospitalised, the Directorate for
Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in the Western Cape said on Saturday.
The 38-year-old police constable and his 15-year-old niece were
arrested by members of the Hawks anti-corruption unit in a sting operation on
Thursday for alleged corruption amounting to R50 000, Captain Lloyd Ramovha
said.
The off-duty constable allegedly approached a dentist from
Grabouw purporting to be investigating instances of apparent false claims
allegedly submitted to his medical aid by the dentist. “He then demanded the
money, blackmailing the dentist in the process,” Captain Lloyd Ramovha said.
“The Hawks were alerted and an undercover operation was carried
out, leading to the swift arrest of the police officer and his niece outside
the dentist’s premises after the money was paid to him by the doctor. The cash
was recovered from the handbag in the teenager’s possession.
“Following the arrest, a visibly shocked constable had to be
treated for apparent heart attack-like symptoms at a local hospital under
police guard. The minor was released under her parents’ care.”
They were expected to appear in the Grabouw Magistrate’s Court
on Monday on corruption-related charges, Ramovha said.
