SAPS Officers Arrested For Corruption
Twelve members of the South Africa Police Service (SAPS) stationed at OR Tambo International Airport have been arrested for corruption.
The arrest of the twelve officers follows a three-year joint investigation by the Hawks and Crime Intelligence that uncovered corruption by 17 SAPS officials.
Out of the five others involved, three were expected to hand themselves over to the Kempton Park police station in the presence of their lawyers.
One suspect remains at large and another is in quarantine.
The suspects will appear at the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on Tuesday 11 August 2020.
The charges they will face include corruption, defeating the course of justice and racketeering.
In a statement, the National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya said he welcomed the arrest of twelve (12) South African Police Service members aged between 30 and 51 years old on Friday.
The arrested officers include two (2) Warrant Officers, six (6) Sergeants, and four (4) Constables.
About R1 million in cash was allegedly seized from one of the suspects’ house.
These suspects are reported to have involved themselves in the stealing of drugs at ORTIA during the confiscation from identified drug mules. So far a total of twenty (20) corruption case dockets have been registered to address the said criminal activities.
Meanwhile, a further eleven (11) Tshwane Metropolitan Police officers aged between 32 and 49 years were also arrested in the early morning raid by the same team.
The arrests of one female and 10 males emanating from an ongoing investigation which began in November 2018 following allegations that the officials demanded and received gratifications from motorists thereby allowing un-roadworthy vehicles and those who commit serious motoring offences on our national roads to go unpunished.
The traffic officers will appear on Tuesday at the Pretoria, Temba, and Hammanskraal Magistrate Courts.
The operation is still ongoing.
Read: