Home South African More arrests made in R56m police car branding case

More arrests made in R56m police car branding case

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The latest arrests bring the total number of people arrested in the multimillion-rand vehicle branding and marking case to 41.

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THREE more people have been arrested and two others have been rearrested for perjury in connection with the R56 million SAPS vehicle branding case, the police said on Sunday.

“A joint operational plan to address corruption within the ranks of the South African Police Service (SAPS) continues to yield positive results as three more persons of interest were arrested in the R56 million tender fraud case,” police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said in a statement.

The latest arrests bring the total number of people arrested in the multimillion-rand vehicle branding and marking case to 41.

On Friday, the special national anti-corruption task team assigned to the investigating directorate of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) arrested three more people and rearrested two others for perjury.

Friday’s arrests included a colonel, an administrative employee within the SAPS supply chain management division, and three civilians. All five faced a range of charges, including fraud, corruption, money laundering, and perjury, Mathe said.

“Among the three civilians, two of the suspects were initially arrested in June and appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court where they were released on R5 000 bail each, along with the first batch of accused arrested in the same month.

“The pair has been rearrested after due diligence was done by the work of the investigating directorate, who uncovered that the pair lied under oath about not having previous convictions. They have been rearrested and each face an additional charge of perjury, fraud, and failure to disclose previous convictions in contravention of section 60(11B) of the Criminal Procedure Act. The possibility of more arrests in this case cannot be ruled out,” Mathe said.

Commenting on the latest arrests, SAPS National Commissioner General Khehla John Sitole said, “The arrest of our own must send a stern warning to all law enforcement officers to steer clear of criminality and corruption at all times.

“The latest arrests are indicative that we are committed to fighting corruption within our ranks. Well done to the team in place that continue to root out corruption without fear or favour,” Sitole said.

The five suspects will appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday for a formal bail application, Mathe said.

NPA investigating directorate head advocate Hermione Cronje said, “The investigating directorate is intensifying efforts to (bring) those who orchestrated and partook in looting the system to account.”

Mathe said both the SAPS and the investigative directorate were also pleased with the Labour Court’s decision this past week to dismiss with costs an urgent application brought by seven of the accused through their labour union, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), to have the internal disciplinary processes currently in progress within the SAPS declared unfair labour practices.

The court dismissed the application with costs, saying it did not have jurisdiction to intervene in incomplete disciplinary proceedings, Mathe said.

– African News Agency (ANA)

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