FOUR COPS CAUGHT ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE LONG

FOUR COPS CAUGHT ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE LONG

By BRIAN KAJENGO

Nelspruit – At least four cops aged between 30 and 34, stationed at Pienaar arrested on Thursday 6 March 2014.

The four police constables arrested on allegations of theft, possession of suspected stolen property and defeating the ends of justice.

The members’ arrest follows an investigation by police after receiving information from a law abiding citizen, who reported the members who were driving in two police bakkies off-loading groceries at a certain house in Pienaar. Police responded swiftly to the information and upon arrival, they found that the members had already left.

Police went inside the house and found groceries with a woman believed to be the owner of the house. They interrogated her and she told them that four police officials brought the grocery.

The suspect further told the cops that their colleagues demanded R2 500 in exchange of the grocery valued at approximately R4000.

The suspect asked the syndicates she had no money and the constables told her that they will come back and pick the money later. 

The woman was arrested yesterday for allegedly being in possession of suspected stolen property and the members handed themselves over this morning, after they were called by the Station Commander regarding the allegations.

The grocery believed taken from the shops owned by foreign nationals during the recent unrests at Pienaar and Kanyamazane respectively.

“It is very disturbing to see people who are entrusted to enforce the law and protect the citizens and all people in the country together with their property being the ones who break the law,” said the Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thulani Ntobela.

“The allegations against the members are serious in nature and disgraceful. Police cannot take advantage of situations and commit crime. It is very much uncalled for and such behaviour should be discouraged at all times. I want to thank the Station Commander and his dedicated members for acting against these members”, concluded General Ntobela.

The suspects expected to appear before the Kabokweni Magistrate’s Court soon. The internal investigation against the members is underway.