Metro police not ruling out possibility of more arrests of own officers
13 TMPD officers were arrested on charges of corruption and malfeasance between Friday and Saturday.
The Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) confirmed it was not ruling out the possibility that more of its officers could be arrested on charges of corruption and malfeasance on Monday.
“Possibilities of more arrests cannot be ruled out at this stage as investigations are ongoing,” TMPD spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said.
This after 13 members of the TMPD were arrested between Friday and Saturday as part of a lengthy investigation aimed at rooting out corruption within the policing sector by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).
Despite the dent made in the department’s reputation, Mahamba urged other officers to continue doing their jobs with integrity and called on those engaged in criminality to stop.
“Members who perform their duties with honesty and integrity are encouraged to do so, and those who are involved in corrupt activities should stop immediately.”
ALSO READ: 13 metro cops busted over corruption
The metro’s administrator for compliance Lebogang More and police chief Johanna Nkomo welcomed the arrests.
Mahamba said Nkomo had also issued the arrested officers with letters of intention to suspend them after their court appearance on Tuesday.
“She also warned that they will continue to work very hard to root out corrupt members within the TMPD,” he said.
Meanwhile, RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane said the investigation, dubbed Operation Bunny, which was initiated by their national anti-corruption unit spanned over 18 months.
“The investigation was prompted by numerous members of the public who were dissatisfied by the unprofessional conduct of some of the officers.”
The 13 officers, aged between 32 and 57, were expected to appear in the Pretoria, Hammanskraal and Temba magistrates’ courts on Tuesday.
“A strong message needs to be sent out indicating that corruption destroys lives and it will not be tolerated within the law enforcement fraternity,” Zwane said.
Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
