Three suspected traffic police impersonators arrested in Midrand
The suspects allegedly attempted to bribe the Gauteng Traffic Police officers with R20 000 to evade arrest.
Gauteng Traffic Police attached to the Central Corridor arrested three male suspects along the R562 in Midrand for impersonating Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) officers on October 26.
The suspects are aged 34, 41 and 45. “Traffic police officers were conducting a routine roadside check when they noticed a suspicious white Nissan NP 300 approaching them. The officers immediately stopped it and, upon inspecting the license disc, the officers noticed that it was suspicious,” explained Gauteng Traffic Police spokesperson Sello Maremane.
Maremane added that the officers asked the occupants to step out of the vehicle so that they could search them as well as their car. During the search, officers noticed an EMPD uniform.
“The officers interrogated the suspects and established that they were not officers. The suspects offered to bribe the officers with an amount of R20 000 to evade arrest. The suspects were immediately arrested and detained at the Midrand Police Station.”
Police recovered two full sets of EMPD uniforms, three traffic officers’ reflective jackets, EMPD boots, jammers with 10 aerials, a car battery, a panga, four cellphones, and a replica Z 88/Beretta 9mm firearm. The vehicle was also impounded by the officers.
The suspects are expected to appear in court on October 27 to face charges relating to unlawful possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, impersonating a law enforcement officer, corruption and possession of the jammer.
The Gauteng Traffic Police management has commended the officers following the swift arrests of the suspects. “We would like to caution anyone that it is unlawful to impersonate a law enforcement officer,” said Maremane.
“We would like to urge the criminal justice system to impose a harsher sentence against these suspects as they tarnish the reputation of hard-working law enforcement officers in the province.”
Maremane urged motorists to report any suspicious activity on Gauteng roads.
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