The man poses as a lead investigator for the Hawks in the Free State and attempts to solicit bribes from those he claims he is about to arrest.
THE DIRECTORATE for Priority Crime Investigation (known as the Hakws) in the Free State has urged residents to be vigilant of bogus investigators.
This comes after it was made known to the Hawks that a man is pretending to be an investigating officer attached to the directorate.
A provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant-Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli, said the man posing as a Hawks investigator called himself Captain Mokoena.
“He uses a police letterhead in his correspondence and attempts to solicit bribes from those he claims he is about to arrest. In a letter in possession of the Hawks, he writes that an arrest warrant has been issued against a prominent figure in one of the municipalities in the Free State,” Mohobeleli said.
The head of the Hawks in the province, Major-General Mokgadi Bokaba has put out a warning to residents regarding the bogus investigator.
Bokaba also confirmed there was no one with that name employed within the Hawks.
“We do not have a Captain Mokoena in our employment. More importantly, under no circumstances will a police investigator demand money from a complainant, victim or suspect in exchange for services rendered or omission thereof. Posing as a police official is a criminal offence. You will be arrested,” Bokaba warned.
The Hawks are already investigating this matter and tracing the origins of the letter sent out by bogus Captain Mokoena.
The Hawks have urged anyone who may know a man going by the alias Captain Mokoena or any information regarding these incidents to alert the nearest police station or call Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
