Police officials charged with corruption
They appeared before the Low’s Creek Periodical Court facing charges of
fraud, assault common, defeating the course of justice, theft of exhibits, and also
charged under the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Act.
Smalman | 20 February 2014 06:03
NELSPRUIT
– Two police officials stationed at Low’s Creek have been arrested after they
allegedly intimidated suspects they had arrested for the possession of dagga.
In addition, they only handed in one of the dagga bags as an exhibit.
According
to provincial police spokesman Brig Selvy Mohlala, WO Zephaniah Nkosi (45) and
Const Vuyisile Mashaba (29) were informed of a suspicious looking bakkie
driving through plantations on the borders between South Africa and Swaziland
on February 10.
Nkosi and
Mashaba followed the vehicle and managed to stop and search it. They found
three men inside as well as five bags filled with dagga on the back of the
bakkie. The suspects told them they were on duty and driving a state owned
vehicle. They added that they only had R500 in their possession.
The
officials refused the R500 bribe, but instructed the suspects to call the
intended receivers of the dagga and request more money from them. When they
couldn’t locate the intended receivers, the officials apparently instructed the
owner of the bakkie to hand them R10 000 in order for the vehicle not to be
confiscated, as well as another R5 000 for the dagga.
“When all
their demands weren’t met, the two officials took the dagga and freed the
suspects. It was later discovered that only one bag of dagga was registered on
the exhibit register and the other four are unaccounted for. It was also found
that they had made a false entry in the exhibit register that the only bag
which was handed in was found left unattended by unknown individuals,” Mohlala
said.
Nkosi and
Mashaba were arrested two days later. They appeared before the Low’s Creek
Periodical Court facing charges of fraud, assault common, defeating the course
of justice, theft of exhibits, and also charged under the Prevention and
Combating of Corruption Act, on February 13.
They were
released on a bail of R1 500 each, and their case was postponed to March, 27.
“I find
it very disturbing that the people who are entrusted with the custody of the
law are alleged to have broken it. I am happy though about the members who were
brave enough to face their own colleagues and put them behind bars. This is
indicative that nobody is above the law,” said provincial police commissioner,
Lt Genl Thulani Ntobela.
