CT policeman held on corruption, conspiracy charges
Wednesday, February 16, 2000
Source Dispatch Online
Officer quizzed on bombs
CAPE TOWN -- The Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) has arrested a Sea Point police sergeant on corruption and conspiracy to commit murder charges and is questioning him in connection with recent bomb attacks in the Cape Peninsula.
Western Cape ICD head Riaz Saloojee said the suspect was arrested on Monday after the directorate questioned police informer Deon Mostert, who had been
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suspected earlier of involvement in the bomb attacks.
Saloojee said the suspect was being questioned in connection with the blast at St Elmo's restaurant in Camps Bay in November last year in which 48 people were injured.
He was also questioned in connection with robberies at the Stellenbosch and Claremont police stations and car bombings in the Western Cape.
Saloojee said the arrest related to the alleged sale of a bullet-proof vest stolen from the Claremont police station on February 1 1999.
The conspiracy to commit murder charge related to a rape case in which the sergeant was allegedly involved.
Saloojee said the sergeant allegedly conspired with police agents to murder the rape complainant.
They allegedly intended injecting her with rat poison.
Saloojee said the young girl was now in a witness protection programme.
Further arrests were expected, Saloojee said.
The sergeant was being held in custody and would appear in the magistrate's court here today.
David Frost, spokesman for Western Cape Community Safety MEC Mark Wiley, said the MEC had on numerous occasions said police had to rid themselves of crooked members.
"If there is any proof people are involved in criminality, the law must takes its course."
Etienne Terblanche, spokesman for Western Cape police commissioner Lennit Max, said police were waiting for feedback before they could comment.
People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad) spokesmen also would not comment, but the vigilante group has frequently accused the police of complicity in the bombings.
A Pagad legal adviser in December told reporters that confusion in the ranks of police and intelligence agencies about the bombings "is a result of an attempt to cover up the covert activities of some operatives working within their ranks". – Sapa
