‘Blue light’ graft: Top cop arrested following home raid

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed the arrest of a high ranking police officer on Monday morning following a raid at her house.

The officer is facing charges of corruption, fraud, theft and money laundering and is expected to appear at the Palm Ridge Magistrates’ Court, according to NPA Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Twala.

Twala said the top cop’s arrest is in connection to supply of emergency warning equipment to South African Police Services (SAPS) in 2017.

“The contract price and exposure to the police fiscus was R191 million. However, R65 million was paid to the service provider, Instrumentation for Traffic Law enforcement (Pty) Ltd,” Twala said.

“The payment of R22 million was stopped at the advanced stage of the Investigating Directorates probe into the matter,” she added.

The other accused in the matter are: General Deliwe De Lange, Major General Nombhuruza Napo, Lieutenant General Ramahlapi Mokwena, Brigadier Ravichandran Pillay, Brigadier James Ramanjalum, Thomas Marima, Maetapese Mulaiwa, Judy Rose, Samantha Andrews and businessman Vimpie Manthatha, along with his company Instrumentation for Traffic law Enforcement Pty Ltd.

It was previously reported that Manthatha’s company, Instrumentation Traffic Law Enforcement, was awarded a contract in 2016 to supply and install blue lights, sirens and radios in police vehicles.

Manthatha allegedly supplied fraudulent tax clearance certificates to SAPS in tender documents.

Since then, the accused were arrested on different dates. De Lange, Mokwena and Ramajalum were arrested in 2018.

Phahlane and Pillay were arrested in 2019.

READ NEXT: I remain in the employ of SAPS, with full benefits, says Phahlane

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.