Officers arrested for alleged kidnapping and attempt to force foreign national to leave SA
The suspects include a Gauteng Traffic Police member and an immigration officer.
Two law enforcement officials were arrested on June 3 as part of a collaborative effort to combat crime.
The operations saw the Gauteng Police Organised Crime Investigations and Home Affairs collab nab the duo after they kidnapped a woman and attempted to force her to flee the country.
The two suspects were arrested for the alleged charges of kidnapping, malicious damage to property and theft.
According to Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, a Gauteng Traffic Police member was arrested in Johannesburg, while an immigration officer was arrested in Tshwane.
“It is alleged that on February 27, the suspects went to the house of the victim, a foreign national, and demanded to see the documents that qualify her to be in the country,” said Masondo.
He said that after producing the documents, the suspects informed the victim they were taking her to the Department of Home Affairs for verification of the documents.
“She was instead taken to Pretoria Central police station and detained for contravening the Immigration Act.”
Photo: Supplied
Masondo added that it was further reported that the suspects came the following day and took the victim to the airport, where they purchased a plane ticket and instructed her to leave the country as she was being deported to her home country.
“While at the airport, she reported the matter to the immigration officers and the case was opened at the local police station and later transferred to Provincial Head Office Organised Crime Investigations,” Masondo explained.
He said a thorough investigation was conducted, and a warrant of arrest was issued against the suspects.
Photo: Supplied
Gauteng Deputy Provincial Commissioner responsible for crime detection, Major General Mbuso Khumalo, believes that there might be other foreign nationals who may have fallen victim to this criminality.
He has made a call to any victims who have experienced this crime to report the matter to the nearest police station or call Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
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