A 57-year-old traffic officer employed by the Gauteng Traffic Department is to appear in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on Monday on charges of alleged corruption and extortion.
The man‚ who carries the rank of principal provincial inspector‚ was arrested in a joint sting operation conducted by members of the Road Traffic Management Corporation's National Traffic Ant-Corruption Unit‚ the South African Police Service Gauteng Organised Crime Unit‚ the Tshwane Metro Police Internal Affairs Unit and the Gauteng Traffic Department's Compliance Unit.
“The arrest followed a complaint received through the RTMC's hotline with allegations that the officer was removing motor vehicle licence discs and taking driving licences from motorists on the pretext that they had committed a traffic offence.
“The victims would then allegedly be instructed to deliver a sum of money ranging from R1‚500 to the officer at the regional offices of the provincial traffic department in exchange for their documents‚” the RTMC said.
It said a number of driving licences and motor vehicle discs were found during a search conducted at the traffic officer’s offices.
“Attempts will now be made to obtain statements from owners of these documents.”
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