UPDATE | 4 cops arrested for theft of R1.6m remanded in custody
The cops disappeared with the money, only to return with R200 000 of it five hours later when they were summoned back.
The four Barberton police officers arrested for allegedly stealing R1.6m from a zama zama paymaster’s house were remanded in custody.
They appeared in the Barberton Magistrate’s Court on Friday, November 15, where they faced charges of theft and defeating the ends of justice.
The matter was postponed to Tuesday, November 19, for bail application. The four police sergeants are Danisile Precious Mahlangu (47), Mandla Saky Ndlovu (49), Bongani Dlamini (40) and Doctor Zulu (42).
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They allegedly raided a house belonging to a man believed to be a paymaster for some zama zamas on Thursday, November 14, and found R1.8m in a wardrobe.
As the alleged paymaster was not at home, the cops arrested his son instead and took him to the police station. They locked him up and disappeared with the money, without charging him or booking the confiscated money into the station as is standard procedure.
“They disappeared for five hours,” said the Hawks’ provincial spokesperson, Captain Dineo Sekgotodi.
The detained son opened a case of theft against the four police officials. Crime intelligence was summoned and on their arrival, they called the four cops in to return to the station.
“On their return, the officers only produced an amount of R200 000, which they alleged was all that had been found at the paymaster’s house,” said Sekgotodi.
The four cops were arrested and detained at the Nelspruit Police Station.
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Sekgotodi told this publication that the son was released. “Investigations into the R1.8m being kept in a wardrobe are under way, because that’s tantamount to money laundering,” she said.
