Cape Town — Western Cape Police Commissioner, Thembisile Patekile, confirmed that seven South African Police Services (SAPS) Members have been arrested for their alleged involvement in extortion-related crimes.
In a statement, he condemned the officers’ behaviour in the strongest terms. He reiterated that the offenders have no place as SAPS members and will face severe consequences from the SAPS disciplinary committee.
“This follows the arrest of seven members attached to Public Order Police on Sunday, 06 October 2024 in connection with the allegations that they extorted two shops owned by Chinese nationals in Milnerton,” Western Cape police spokesperson, Colonel Andre Traut, said.
He said that members were accompanied by a suspect dressed as a civilian, and took an undisclosed amount of money from the two shops, allegedly as protection money. Once the case was reported to the police, the Anti-Corruption Unit and the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit detectives acted quickly. They caught the suspects while on duty in Milnerton.
“As the investigation unfolds, leads are pursued to identify more suspects who could also be arrested,” Traut said.
The officers, aged between 24 and 43, are expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday 9 October 2024.
#sapsWC #SAPSZeroTolerance #Extortion The Western Cape PC, Lt Gen (Adv.) Thembisile Patekile has condemned the involvement of SAPS members who allegedly committed extortion-related crimes over the weekend in the strongest terms possible. He reiterated that the offenders have no… pic.twitter.com/WYG8Ru8d2t
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) October 7, 2024
Meanwhile, seven police officers from the Diepkloof SAPS in Johannesburg were granted bail of R3 000 each after they appeared in court on charges of murder, torture, assault, and intent to cause grievous bodily harm, The Citizen reported.
Sergeant Phillip Machaba (41), Constable Josephine Baloyi (31), Constable Thobani Mkhwanazi (30), Constable Thulani Hlatshwayo (36), Constable Tshepo Chokoe (36), Constable Andile Keto (33), and Constable Tulalethu Madwantsi (36), were arrested last week by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for an incident that occurred on 20 January 2023.
On that day, the group allegedly received information about a person dealing drugs at a house on Martinus Smuts Drive, Diepkloof, and they went to the location.
The case against the police officers has been postponed to 01 November 2024 for the officers to be provided with the indictment.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
