Five police constables and a taxi driver face charges of corruption and theft after allegedly looting a truck involved in a road accident in the Eastern Cape.
The truck crashed on Tuesday afternoon while transporting perishable goods between East London and Macleantown.
“The officers and the taxi driver allegedly helped themselves to perishable goods from the truck using a police vehicle as well as the taxi‚” said Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi.
“The Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation unit received a tip off and together with Crime Intelligence promptly responded and rounded up all the suspects. Members also manage to seize a number of boxes at various places in East London including at the local police quarters.”
Constables Azola Ndongeni‚ 33‚ Mkolisi Matthews Gola‚ 38‚ Luthando Klaas‚ 34‚ Siyabonga Freddie‚ 36‚ Siseko Dayimani‚ 33 and taxi driver‚ Xolani Valantiya‚ 43 were granted R1‚000 bail each after appearing in the East London Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. They are due back in court on September 20.
“While I am outraged at the news of the five police officers‚ I am similarly excited that they were swiftly brought to book by their own colleagues‚” said Hawks head‚ Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya.
“We will continue to confront any form of corruption and criminality in the SAPS [South African Police Service] precisely because we are of the firm belief that both forms of criminal behaviour have no place in our existence‚” he added.
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