An alleged plot by three police officers to scam a company out of R1.6-million worth of coffee creamer turned sour when they appeared in court yesterday charged with possession of stolen goods.
Reservist constable Banele Mhlanga and constable detectives Samuel Ndlovu and Fabrio Shiluvana remain in custody after failing to each pay R40000 bail, granted by Magistrate Vincent Pienaar of the Randburg Magistrate's Court.
The trio, allegedly members of a nine-man syndicate involving Nigerian national Christiaan Mormah, allegedly ordered the R1.6-million worth of Mega coffee creamer online, but reversed the transaction shortly after the goods were delivered. The six other men appeared alongside the officers, but abandoned their bail application.
The men allegedly used letterheads of a Randburg company to order the goods from a Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal company, but failed to pay for them.
The officers and Mormah were arrested last month outside the storage facility. The six other accused were arrested during a high-speed chase with the police while driving a truck loaded with the milk.
In their statements, the officers said they were confident of being acquitted.
When granting the trio bail, Pienaar said it was clear that the officers had a case to answer. He postponed the case to January 17.
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