Sergeant Xolani Sibiya (41), a SAPS officer attached to White River Police Station, briefly appeared before the local magistrate’s court yesterday.

He was remanded in custody pending his next appearance on Monday, for a bail application., Mpumalanga News reports.

Sibiya was arrested on Thursday by the Nelspruit-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation and Serious Corruption Investigation units. He is accused of soliciting a R1 000 bribe from a theft suspect in exchange for assisting him with his case.

The theft suspect had been arrested on September 26 and later released on warning.

According to Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, the suspect was scheduled to appear before the White River Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, October 1, but the matter was not placed on the roll.

Nkosi said Sibiya allegedly took advantage of the situation by misleading the suspect into believing the case was not enrolled because he had convinced the prosecutor to withdraw it.

“The member allegedly demanded R1 000 for assisting the theft suspect,” said Nkosi. “The suspect did not have the money readily available but said he would pay it later.”

Instead, the suspect reported the matter to the Hawks, and Sibiya was arrested at his workplace. The suspect is now a key witness in the state’s prosecution on a corruption charge.

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