Pretoria cop is the 45th suspect nabbed in SAPS car branding fraud case

01 February 2021 - 16:30 By naledi shange
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
A Pretoria lieutenant is the latest person arrested in connection with the police vehicle tender scandal. Stock photo.
A Pretoria lieutenant is the latest person arrested in connection with the police vehicle tender scandal. Stock photo.
Image: Allan Swart/123RF

The 45th person to be implicated in the R85m tender fraud scandal around the marking and demarking of SA Police Service vehicles was arrested and charged on Monday, the NPA's Investigative Directorate said.

Spokesperson Sindisiwe Twala said Jane Mthembu, who is a lieutenant at the Silverton police station in Pretoria, was the latest person to be charged in relation to the case.

Mthembu appeared briefly in the Pretoria magistrate’s court on charges of corruption, fraud, forgery, money laundering and theft.

“She was also released on R5,000 bail. The matter was postponed to March 25 for further investigations. It is expected that all 45 accused will appear together on that date,” said Twala.

“The case relates to the awarding of [the tender for] the marking and demarking of SAPS vehicles valued at R56m and cover quoting valued at R29m.”

Among those arrested thus far are senior police officers, company directors and owners and even some private citizens who have been linked to the scandal.

The charges stem from crimes which were allegedly conducted back in 2017, with the charges coming after national police commissioner Gen Khehla John Sitole established a special anti-corruption unit to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

TimesLIVE


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now