Burgersfort SAPS officers arrested for allegedly stealing cigarettes
"They went to one of the local shops trying to sell illicit cigarettes. The shop owner threatened them after he had heard that the cigarettes had been stolen. They sped off. Unfortunately, they crashed into a fence and damaged their state vehicle," said the source.
MECKLENBURG – Some allegedly corrupt SAPS officials wanted to make quick cash using state-owned resources, but their plan backfired.
Three SAPS officials of the Burgersfort Cluster were arrested for corruption and theft in Moroke last Tuesday.
Consts Thabang Fenyane (29) and Sheldon Shikwambana (29) appeared before the Mecklenburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on charges of theft and corruption.
Their accomplice, Sgt SE Phasha (40), appeared before the same court on Monday. The trio each received bail of R2 000 and their cases were postponed to August 23.
An eyewitness saw two of the officers selling illicit cigarettes at a spaza shop in Moroke.
“They went to one of the local shops trying to sell illicit cigarettes. The shop owner threatened them after he had heard that the cigarettes had been stolen. They sped off. Unfortunately, they crashed into a fence and damaged their state vehicle,” said the source.
The spokesperson for the Limpopo SAPS, Brig Motlafelo Mojapelo, confirmed the incident; he said the cigarettes had been stolen in Ga-Kgwete Village.
“On Tuesday at about 16:00, police officers of the Burgesfort Cluster entered a business premises in Ga-Kgwete in the Mecklenburg policing area and found the owner. They started to search inside, but didn’t find anything, and they proceeded to his rental place nearby, where they continued the search. The trio allegedly discovered 12 boxes full of Remington Gold cigarettes worth R32 400.
“The 30-year-old Ethiopian businessman was arrested immediately for dealing in illicit cigarettes and detained at the Mecklenburg Police Station.
“The two police officers (Shikwambana and Fenyane) left the station, leaving behind their colleague (Phasha) to complete registering the exhibits. It was later discovered by the senior police officer at the station that the member registered eight boxes of the recovered illicit cigarettes instead of 12.”
Mojapelo added, “When the police were still busy with initial investigations, a phone call was reportedly received from the two police officers who had left, saying they had been involved in a car accident. Upon arrival, the police discovered the remaining four boxes of illicit cigarettes inside the vehicle. The constables were arrested and the other crew member, who was at the station, had already left on foot.
“On Friday, the officer on the run handed himself in at the Mecklenburg SAPS.”
The provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the arrests. “We will not rest until all corrupt members are rooted out of the SAPS. We appeal to anyone who may have any information on crimes, to contact the SAPS on the Crime Stop number 08600 10111, or to visit their nearest police station.”
It is not the first time SAPS officials in the Burgersfort Cluster were accused of theft and fraud. In March, Steelburger/Lydenburg News published a story in which two uniformed officers allegedly robbed Matuludi Spaza Shop in Mooihoek. They allegedly stole R800 in cash, some airtime vouchers and several packets of cigarettes.
