Africa-Press – South-Africa. A Free State police officer has been arrested for allegedly aiding a suspect to escape from custody.
Free State police spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli said the police received a tip-off on the whereabouts of alleged stock thieves in Welkom in December last year.
Officers arrested seven people in connection with stock theft and the suspects were all “placed at the back of a patrol vehicle for detention”.
“It is alleged that the female officer, who was initially not part of the arresting team, went to the back of the vehicle and released one of the suspects.
“Upon realising that one of the suspects had been released and not detained, the arresting officer took the matter up with their overall commander and the matter was handed over to the Anti-Corruption Unit,” said Kareli.
The unit’s investigation led to the arrest of the 56-year-old woman for defeating the ends of justice and aiding an escape.
Kareli said the 52-year-old escapee was rearrested and charged with escaping from custody.
The officer and the man appeared in the Welkom Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Last month, another Free State police officer was arrested for allegedly helping a prisoner who was awaiting trial escape from custody at the Welkom Magistrate’s Court in March.
Police spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng said the provincial Anti-Corruption Unit arrested the 56-year-old officer after he was found to have had a role in the prisoner’s escape.
The 39-year-old prisoner was about to be transported from the court to Odendaalsrus Correctional Services when he escaped. He was rearrested three days later.
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