Charges against five suspected bogus cops arrested on the M2 highway near the Denver off-ramp were dropped when they appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on March 4.
One woman and four men, aged 17 to 33, appeared in court after they were apprehended the day before when a private security patrol car notified the Johannesburg Flying Squad of a suspicious-looking vehicle which had attempted to pull over another vehicle on the R59 highway.
According to police, the white Volkswagen Golf had distinct blue lights on the dashboard similar to those used in police vehicles.
The suspects, who are all siblings, were arrested and detained at the Cleveland Police Station on charges of possession of police blue lights [or illegal use of identification lamps] and impersonating a police officer.
“While conducting patrols on the R59 highway, an on-duty private law enforcement officer spotted a suspicious-looking vehicle in front of him. He could see five occupants in the vehicle, which had police lights flashing,” said Cleveland SAPS spokesperson Capt Johan Jordaan.
“A car matching the same description and using the same modus operandi has previously been implicated in alleged hijackings on the R59,” said Jordaan.
“The occupants tried to stop another vehicle in front of them. It looked suspicious to the patrol officer. He was aware of incidents involving a white VW Golf with blue lights, stopping vehicles on the highway and hijacking them. Flying Squad members responded and managed to pull the vehicle over without incident,” said Jordaan.
“The vehicle was searched and the blue emergency lights, as well as the vehicle, were confiscated. Subsequently, the case was withdrawn by the court on the grounds that there are no reasonable prospects for a successful prosecution,” said Jordaan.
“This is a problem to the SAPS and we want to win all our cases and get the best conviction possible,” he said.
The South African government website highlights that in terms of regulation 176 of the National Road Traffic Act (93 of 1996), no person shall operate a motor vehicle which is fitted with a blue light, or a vehicle which displays a lamp or lamps emitting a blue light or capable of emitting a blue light, except:
• any vehicle driven by a member of SAPS or a member of a municipal police service;
• any vehicle driven by a traffic officer; or
• any vehicle driven by a member of the SANDF authorised in terms of section 87 (1)(g) of the defence force in performing police functions.
These can only be used in the course of performing duties.
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