Africa-Press – South-Africa. A KwaZulu-Natal police sergeant and her brother drove to Limpopo to allegedly bribe an investigating officer, with R40 000, to not oppose bail of five accused in a multimillion jewellery robbery case, but found themselves behind bars instead.
Slindile Dlamini, 37 and her 33-year-old brother were arrested on Wednesday.
They appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on a corruption charge, and their matter was postponed to 21 June.
The bribe accusation Dlamini and her brother are embroiled in relates to an armed robbery at a jewellery store at the Savannah Mall in Polokwane on 12 May.
Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said five armed suspects robbed the store of millions of rands in jewellery.
Five men – Mduduzi Zulu, 30, Lindokuhle Skhosana, 29, Asanda Mhlongo, 24, Sandile Ngcobo, 40, and Sifundo Chiya, 34 – were all traced to KwaZulu-Natal and later arrested in Pietermaritzburg.
According to Ledwaba, Dlamini allegedly offered the investigating officer R40 000 in exchange for agreeing not to oppose bail when the accused applied for it.
“It is reported that the sergeant made several attempts to persuade and influence the investigation officer not to oppose bail for the five suspects in exchange for R40 000 in cash,” he said.
Ledwaba added:
Ledwaba said the officer managed to meet with the investigating officer and gave him an amount of R37 000 before she drove away in a silver Honda with her brother.
“Little did she know that the meeting with the investigating officer was a setup, and she was monitored,” he said.
“Police who were observing her tried to stop her vehicle when she left the scene, but the driver sped off. A car chase ensued until the vehicle was cornered at N1 South road next to Shell fuel station about 10km from Polokwane, where the two were arrested.”
He said the officer’s interest in the case of the jewellery robbers was unknown at the moment.
Limpopo police commissioner General Thembi Hadebe said, “This will definitely send a message that this province has no space for criminals, and those who test the waters will be arrested without mercy.”
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