Four Cape Town police officers who have been linked to a house robbery in Hout Bay will appear together in the dock in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
This comes after members attached to the Western Cape Anti-Corruption Unit nabbed all four police officers in different incidents.
The provincial police spokesperson, Captain Frederick van Wyk, said the house robbery took place on September 14 at 1:35am at the premises of a foreign national in Sunset Avenue, Llandudno.
“This case was reported to Hout Bay police and transferred to the Western Cape Anti-Corruption Unit for further investigation. The investigation by the seasoned detectives led to the arrest of police members over a period of time,” van Wyk said.
A 44-year-old police sergeant was arrested on September 14 at 4pm at the 35 Squadron in Belhar and more than an hour later at 5:20pm a 28-year-old police constable was arrested at the Gugulethu police station.
“Both appeared in the Wynberg Magistrates court on September 17, and the case was remanded to September 23. The case was then postponed until October 3, for a bail application,” van Wyk said.
Further investigations led detectives to the arrest of a 33-year-old police sergeant at Bellville police station on September 19 at 6:35pm.
“The member was detained at Wynberg police station, and he appeared at the Wynberg Magistrate court on September 23, with the other two accused arrested on September 14,” van Wyk said.
On Wednesday, at about 6:35am, the members attached to the Anti-Corruption members arrested a 38-year-old police sergeant at the Philippi police station.
“The member was linked through fingerprints found at the crime scene. The member was detained at Wynberg SAPS police cells, and he is due to appear at Wynberg Magistrate Court on Thursday, October 3 with the other three members arrested earlier,” van Wyk said.
Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile praised the investigation team for the arrests. He said that police officers are supposed to uphold the law and protect the public.
“Let this serve as a warning to those who think they can abuse the resources of the state for their disgraceful purposes,” Patekile said.
IOL