The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation – better known as the Hawks – on Tuesday said it had arrested two senior police officers and an attorney for allegedly demanding R100,000 from an accused in a fraud matter to squash a case.
“The two, Sergeant Sithembo Moses Dlamini (54) and Captain Saul Thulani Mdletshe were arrested on Friday after they conspired to pocket R100,000 from a suspect on a Brackendowns fraud case,” said Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu of the Hawks in a statement.
“It is alleged that the officers had on separate occasions pocketed almost R10,000 from the same suspect to have him released on bail on the same case.
“As if that was not enough, the suspect lawyer Stephens Mangolela (46) conspired with two members and cemented the earlier demand, this time claiming that the prosecutor occupied with the suspect’s case together with the complainant were forming part of the scheme.”
Mulamu said an entrapment operation by the Hawks Pretoria based Serious Corruption Unit was carried out on Friday afternoon just outside Johannesburg.
“The trio was presented with half of the R100,000 in cash whilst the rest was transferred into the lawyers account,” said Mulamu.
“Mangolela, Dlamini and Mdletshe were arrested on the spot and they spent the whole weekend behind bars. They appeared before the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court on Monday on charges of corruption, extortion and defeating the ends of justice.”
They were granted bail of R2,000 each and are expected to appear in court again on 9 June 2017.
– African News Agency (ANA)
