Four police officers from Mpumalanga are set to appear in court on charges of theft and obstructing justice after they were arrested during a joint operation by the Hawks.
According to Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), the four officers—three men and one woman—were detained following an operation on Thursday, November 14, 2024, in Barberton, Mpumalanga. The officers were from the Barberton detective unit.
The incident began when the officers raided the home of a known “paymaster” for illegal miners, or zama zamas, and allegedly discovered R1.8 million in cash hidden inside a wardrobe. Instead of properly documenting the seizure in accordance with police protocol, the officers are accused of taking the money.
Sekgotodi explained that the son of the paymaster, who was present during the raid, was taken to the police station and locked in a cell, but the money was not logged into the SAPS register or connected to any formal case docket. After holding the son for five hours, the officers reportedly returned with only R200,000 of the original amount, claiming that this was the sum seized during the raid.
The victim, the paymaster’s son, then filed a theft report against the officers, leading to their arrest. The four detectives are currently in custody at Nelspruit police cells.
Major General Nicholas Gerber, head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, praised the rapid response to the case, stating that the actions of the corrupt officers would not be tolerated. He emphasized that the Hawks would continue to investigate and bring those involved in criminal activities to justice, without bias. Gerber also warned all police officers in Mpumalanga to avoid engaging in corrupt practices.
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