Three Eastern Cape police members have been arrested on charges of corruption and theft.
Provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Michelle Matroos, said that the three were found in possession of exhibits, allegedly taken from a crime scene, during a police intelligence-led raid which took place in Scenery Park, in East London on Friday.
“The Eastern Cape SAPS Management expressed their shock and disappointment with the members’ misconduct as this incident happened a day after the SAPS National Commissioner launched his Anti-Corruption Strategy at SAPS Academy Tshwane on the 29th June 2018 to tackle corruption within its ranks to transform SAPS into a professional organisation,” said Matroos.
She said in combined operation was conducted on Saturday by SAPS Anti-Corruption Unit attached to the Provincial Detectives, Crime Intelligence and LCRC Unit who followed up on intelligence-driven information and executed the said operation.
“During the operation at the residence of members, exhibits which were recovered during the previous day’s operation were seized from the members’ respective residences and in a police vehicle,” said Matroos.
“Cell phones, an iPod and Eskom high-grade testers, identified as items recovered during the evening police raid, were seized from the members and will be taken to LCRC for DNA testing.
Colonel Matroos said the three members ages 30, 36 and 40 years are attached to the East London Operational Command Centre and will appear in court on Monday.
The Provincial Commissioner of the Eastern Cape, Lt Gen Liziwe Ntshinga said: “It is our mission to curb all corrupt activities and we will do that without fear or favour. These arrests should serve to discourage all police officers and we will stop at nothing in investigating corrupt activities and ensuring that those implicated face the full wrath of the law.”
"This should also serve as a reassurance to the community that our commitment as the SAPS toward enhancing its Ethics and Code of Conduct, in support of the National Commissioners' Turn Around Strategy in winning the fight against Corruption," Ntshinga said.
