Three police officers have been arrested for allegedly robbing a man of his cellphone after he entered an Engen garage at Jan Cillierspark in Welkom, Free State.
Pictures circulating on social media show two men and a woman wearing SAPS bulletproof vests and an SAPS mask entering a filling station. A white police number-plated VW Polo sedan, allegedly used by the officers, was also captured with flashing blue lights.
According to National Police Spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, preliminary investigations revealed that on July 1, two constables and a sergeant pulled over a vehicle and ordered the 44-year-old mineworker to step out of the car.
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The man refused and drove to the nearest filling station where the officers followed him. During this period, the police officers allegedly grabbed the victim’s cell phone and sped off.
The suspects were traced to Gauteng where they were arrested on Saturday by the Welkom Serious and Violent Crime Unit. National Commissioner of Police, General Fannie Masemola, has condemned the behaviour of the police members and welcomed their arrest.
“We condemn this behaviour and don’t condone acts of criminality and corruption within our ranks. We will continue to deal decisively with those who do not abide by the SAPS code of conduct without fear or favour,” said General Masemola.
Brigadier Mathe added that SAPS has an anti-corruption unit that solely deals with identifying and removing corrupt law enforcement officers within its ranks.
“Communities are therefore urged to continue to report suspicious activities to their nearest police station and the Crime Stop hotline number on 0860010111,” she added. The suspects are expected to appear in court soon.
