Three Durban-based police officers and a self-employed accomplice appeared in the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court on charges of extortion.
The four were remanded in custody after their bail application, including one brought in the South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, had failed.
Facts presented are that the four who claimed to be members of the Hawks approached a Kyalami-based businessman in May. The claimed that their superiors were demanding from him, a R50-million payment in order to withhold a damning investigation on him.
Seemingly to avoid the investigation, the victim, who is said to have some lucrative tender with government, deposited R9 million into a trust account as instructed by them. Later on the same day, he reported the incident to the police.
The four were traced and two were arrested in Johannesburg on 4 July and the other two on 12 July in Durban.
They will reappear in court on 23 September.
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