Five Durban cops arrested for corruption and theft

Four Durban metropolitan police officers have been arrested after they failed to hand in confiscated cigarettes and cash from a business owner to Tongaat police, while a fifth SAPS official was arrested for extortion.

According to SAPS, the arrest of the four officers, aged between 30 and 42, follows an investigation by the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit into a corruption and theft case reported on 10 June 2020.

“The four suspects received intelligence about a shop owner suspected to be selling cigarettes at La Mercy in Tongaat,” police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said.

“They proceeded to the shop and questioned the owner concerning the allegations,” he added.

The owner denied selling the cigarettes, but indicated that he had locked up his cigarettes in a cupboard.

Naicker said the officers demanded the cupboard keys before they removed cigarettes and an undisclosed amount of cash.

They later released the complainant, who reported the matter to the police.

“They did not hand in the cigarettes and cash at any police station,” said Naicker.

All four appeared at the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on corruption and theft charges.

Meanwhile, in another case investigated by the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit, Sergeant Lazarus Narainsamy, 39, stationed at Tongaat SAPS, appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court – also on Thursday, for extortion.

He is accused of extorting money from an individual who was arrested for assault and crimen injuria during March 2020.

“The court released him on bail of R1 000 and remanded the case to 23 September 2020,” said Naicker.

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