Three suspects, including a female police captain, have been arrested for allegedly demanding bribes from construction workers.
The three, aged 56, 44 and 41, were nabbed in Emalahleni (Witbank) on Monday afternoon, said Mpumalanga police spokesperson Col Donald Mdhluli.
The arrests came after 13 people were allegedly put into a police marked van and held for hours by the trio, on the pretext they were undocumented.
“A bribe of R10,000 was allegedly demanded from them for their freedom.”
Their employer was allegedly contacted and asked to pay for their release.
“After a few hours, cash was allegedly paid to the three suspects and that is when they were arrested by members of the the Mpumalanga anti-corruption unit.”
The cash in their possession was confiscated.
On Tuesday the trio appeared in the Emalahleni magistrate's court to face charges of corruption, defeating the ends of justice, extortion and kidnapping. They were each granted bail of R2,000 and are expected to appear again on March 1.
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Police captain arrested for ‘extorting cash from construction workers’
Image: 123RF/Ufuk Zivana
Three suspects, including a female police captain, have been arrested for allegedly demanding bribes from construction workers.
The three, aged 56, 44 and 41, were nabbed in Emalahleni (Witbank) on Monday afternoon, said Mpumalanga police spokesperson Col Donald Mdhluli.
The arrests came after 13 people were allegedly put into a police marked van and held for hours by the trio, on the pretext they were undocumented.
“A bribe of R10,000 was allegedly demanded from them for their freedom.”
Their employer was allegedly contacted and asked to pay for their release.
“After a few hours, cash was allegedly paid to the three suspects and that is when they were arrested by members of the the Mpumalanga anti-corruption unit.”
The cash in their possession was confiscated.
On Tuesday the trio appeared in the Emalahleni magistrate's court to face charges of corruption, defeating the ends of justice, extortion and kidnapping. They were each granted bail of R2,000 and are expected to appear again on March 1.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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