An Ethiopian national is expected to appear before the Witbank Magistrate’s Court today after he was arrested for possession of illicit cigarettes and bribery of a police official.

According to a statement issued by the office of the Provincial Commissioner in Mpumalanga, the arrest on November 28 was made by the multidisciplinary team assigned to Operation Festive Season in Mpumalanga, which focused on high-crime areas.

After a search on the premises, the team confiscated over 100 packets of cigarettes, which allegedly belonged to the 37-year-old.

The man allegedly tried to bribe his way out of the arrest and offered a policeman R600. A bribery case was also opened.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, commended the team for their exceptional work.

“The SAPS will continue to work tirelessly to prevent and combat crime, and we will not tolerate any stance by people when they try to corrupt our members,” the general said, further appreciating the hard work and dedication of their members in keeping communities safe and secure.

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