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STANDERTON – Two police officials from Standerton have been arrested in connection with corruption.
Const Ronald Mmatlou(28) appeared before the Standerton Magistrate’s Court on charges of corruption and the use of state owned vehicle without the owner’s consent.
This happened on September 2, following the Mpumalanga Tracking Team’s swift action after Mmatlou eluded the police for a week.
His arrest follows allegations of unlawful conduct between him and his co-accused a police Reservist Const Tebogo Alfred Modise (24) .
On August 25 the pair allegedly stopped a motorist in Standerton in what appeared to be their daily routine inspection and they apparently told the driver to be driving under the influence of liquor and threatened to arrest him if he failed to pay them a bribe of R1 000.
The motorists managed to borrow the money from a local businessman and the officials apparently escorted him to get the money..
Their unlawful conduct was reported to the station’s management who in-turn opened a case against them.
Modise was arrested on the same day while Mmatlou fled the scene using a state owned vehicle which he later handed over to a member who was about to report on duty the same day.
It is further alleged that Mmatlou did not report on duty until police were tipped of his were about on August 30.
He was arrested in Bronkhornspruit where he was hiding.
“Police further uncovered that both villains were also involved in an attempted murder case where they allegedly shot and severely injured a man who refused to give them a bribe and dumped him in the bushes at Robert Green Farm situated on the road between Balfour and Standerton, thinking he was dead,” said Col Leonard Hlathi.
He added that further investigations revealed that Const Mmatlou is currently having pending cases of house robbery and attempted murder which he allegedly committed in Amsterdam November 2012.
“On these particular cases, Mmatlou was granted bail and he is expected to appear at the Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on October 7,” he said..
On the current cases, both officials were remanded in custody and will re-appear in court on Sept 13.
Anyone who was victimised or who has information concerning these TOW officials is urged to come forth and hand in statements to Captain Richard Nkwanyana who can be contacted at 082 782 3361.
“Pathetic and corrupt officials have got no room in the police and all those who continue to drag the name of the police into disrepute, will feel the pinch of the law,” said the Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Thulani Ntobela.