Africa-Press – South-Africa. Five Free State police officials were arrested this week for corruption, defeating the ends of justice, money laundering and theft in separate incidents.
Free State Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli said the first incident related to a fraud case involving a female lieutenant-colonel who was arrested in Vereeniging on Wednesday.
She was charged with fraud for a fraudulent resettlement claim of R19 000.
Mohobeleli said the officer was promoted to her position in Kestell in 2012. She did not live in the area and did not relocate.
Instead, she used a state vehicle to travel to work between Kestell and Bethlehem. However, she later submitted a R19 000 claim for a resettlement fee.
“The resettlement cost is a benefit given to members appointed to a post outside their primary residence,” said Mohobeleli.
The Serious Corruption Investigation Unit in Bloemfontein issued an arrest warrant for the officer. She will appear in the Kestell Magistrate’s Court on 12 July.
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The second incident involves four Kroonstad K9 Unit and Zamdela officers who allegedly stole R1 million recovered from a cash-in-transit heist in Sasolburg last year.
Instead of declaring the cash, the officers allegedly pocketed it.
The Serious Corruption Investigation Unit in Welkom arrested the officers on Thursday.
They appeared in the Sasolburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday, facing charges of theft, defeating the ends of justice and money laundering.
The case was postponed to 3 August after the court granted them R2 000 bail each.
The head of the Hawks in the Free State, Major-General Mokgadi Bokaba, said law enforcement was “relentless in our efforts to root out corruption, including within our ranks”.
“It is our constitutional duty to rid the system of rotten elements and restore the confidence of South Africans in the police.
“Rest assured, there will be more arrests to follow as we stamp our independence and that of the state,” she added.
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