Metro officers solicit bribe from Crime Line Head
Crime Line Head, Yusuf Abramjee set a corruption trap for Metro cops and they fell for it hook, line and sinker
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – Traffic officers aiming to get a bribe in return for looking the other way when motorists are allegedly caught breaking the rules of the road, have unfortunately become all too common in Johannesburg and Gauteng.
Head of Crime Line Yusuf Abramjee took the first step in the vigorous fight against corruption of traffic officers who have become used to the practice of soliciting bribes from motorists.
This act by Abramjee is an example of how motorists can handle themselves in similar situations.
A call by Justice Project SA and Crime Line for blowing the whistle on corrupt officials resulted in two traffic officers facing criminal charges after they stopped Abramjee and solicited a R200 bribe allegedly for speeding, unaware who they were dealing with.
The chairman and founding member of Justice Project SA, Howard Dembovsky, has urged Gauteng residents to report corrupt traffic officials to the anti-corruption hotline. “You can get actively involved in reducing corruption in our country by refusing to pay bribes. If there’s no supply, the demand will diminish,” insisted Dembovsky.
When Abramjee refused to give in to their request, the officers let him go. However, the matter did not stop there. The Crime Line Head together with Justice Project SA organised a sting operation with the two bribe-seeking officials as their main target.
According to Abramjee, the two officers were only in charge of operating a speed camera so speeding infringement notices could be drawn up and sent to speedsters after the film had been examined, but not to stop them.
Crumpled notes were found on the officers, reported Senior Superintendent Mahamba, which collectively added up to more than R1 800 which they could not account for, and they were arrested and charged with corruption and bribery.
The money is suspected to have been collected as bribes from speeding motorists who were stopped by the money-hungry officers.
Every motorist in Gauteng can entrap corrupt officials who solicit bribes by reporting them to the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) on 0800 203 712, Gauteng Provincial Traffic Police 0800 701 701, Justice Project SA on 011 051 6985/ 081 302 3694. The anti-corruption hotline can be contacted on 0800 002 587 and an anonymous SMS can be sent to tip-off service Crime Line on 32211.
