Four members of the SAPS were arrested in Welkom last week by the Hawks for allegedly stealing CIT heist money with police saying the arrest of a fifth member is imminent. In a separate incident a highly ranked police officer was arrested in Vereeniging for fraud.

In the first incident police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli says four members attached to the Kroonstad K9 Unit and Zamdela SAPS were arrested by the Hawks’ Welkom Serious Corruption Investigation Unit on June 29.

“They are alleged to have taken money to the tune of R1m which they recovered from members of the public who had helped themselves to this cash during a cash-in-transit heist in Sasolburg in 2022.”

Instead of registering it in the SAPS evidence store, these police officials pocketed the money.

The four suspects appeared in the Sasolburg Magistrate’s` Court on June 30 facing charges of theft, defeating the ends of justice, and money laundering. The arrest of a fifth suspect, who is also a member of the SAPS, is imminent.

The Free State head of the Hawks, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, says she is dismayed by the behaviour of members who did not think twice about betraying their oath.

“We are relentless in our efforts to root out corruption, including within our ranks. It is our constitutional duty to rid the system of rotten elements and restore the confidence of South Africans in the police. Rest assured, there will be more arrests to follow as we stamp our independence and that of the state,” Bokaba says.

In an unrelated incident a female Lieutenant Colonel (47) was arrested on June 28 in Vereeniging for fraud.

According to Mohobeleli, the officer was promoted to a Lieutenant Colonel post in Kestell in 2012.

“Upon resuming duties in her new post, she did not reside in Kestell. Instead, she reportedly travelled in an official vehicle to and from work between Bethlehem and Kestell. Months later, she allegedly submitted a claim for resettlement costs in the amount of over R19 000 without having relocated to Kestell.”

The resettlement cost is a benefit given to members who have been appointed to a post outside their primary place of residence.

The matter was referred to members of the Serious Corruption Investigation Unit based in Bloemfontein, who presented a strong case before the court. As a result, a warrant for her arrest was issued. She will appear before the Kestell Magistrate’s` Court on July 12.