THREE constables, two from Chatsworth SAPS and one stationed at Westville SAPS, were arrested by the Provincial Ant-Corruption Unit.

The Provincial Commissioner in KwaZulu-Natal, Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula commended citizens for taking a stand to support police management in ridding the police service of corrupt elements.

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“When I arrived in this province I made a call to citizens in this province not to fall into the trap of colluding with corrupt police officers. I am so pleased that citizens have heeded my call and are regularly arriving at our police stations to open cases against corrupt police officers,” he said.

The Chatsworth officers, aged 32 and 36, were arrested in the early hours of yesterday morning (Sunday, 14 June) by detectives from the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit.

It is alleged that on 7 June 2020 they entered a tuckshop in Moorton and demanded to search the premises.

They seized cigarettes valued at R14500 as well as R2000 in cash before leaving the premises.

The items seized were not handed in at the police station.

The tuckshop owner reported the matter to police who immediately opened a case of robbery and handed over the investigation to the Provincial Ant-Corruption Unit.

They are appearing at the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court today on corruption and robbery charges.

Detectives from the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit are investigating another case where a police constable was arrested on Friday, 12 June in the Mpumalanga policing precinct.

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On 12 June 2020, four men approached a tuckshop owner in Ntshongweni and accused him of selling cigarettes.

They demanded cash from him and R500 was handed over to them.

They then proceeded to another tuckshop in the area where members of the community members confronted them.

The suspects abandoned their motor vehicle and fled on foot however, one of them was apprehended by the community and handed over to Mpumalanga police.

Charges of extortion and attempted murder were opened at the Mpumalanga police station and the docket was handed over to the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit.

The 26-year-old constable from Westville SAPS is appearing in the Camperdown Magistrate’s Court today.

“I am positive that we can win this war if citizens continue to remain steadfast in their commitment to expose corrupt police officers to police management and not to turn a blind eye to criminality in their neighbourhoods,” Lieutenant General Jula added.

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