Investigation into R56m police car branding scam leads to more arrests

Three more people have been arrested in connection with an alleged R56 million police vehicle branding scam.

On Friday, the Special National Anti-Corruption Task Team assigned to the Investigating Directorate of the National Prosecuting Authority arrested a colonel, an administrative employee within the police’s supply chain management division and a civilian.

They face a range of charges including fraud, corruption and money laundering, said Hawks spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe.

In August, 15 people were arrested in connection with the police vehicle branding scam. Nine of them are former or serving police officers and the remaining six are suppliers or associated suppliers. Another 15 accused, including a retired police general and senior and junior officers, were arrested in June.

A further five people handed themselves over at the beginning of the month, including four police captains and a civilian.

Two of the civilians, arrested in June and who had been released on R5 000 bail, have been rearrested.

“The pair has been rearrested after due diligence was done by the work of the Investigating Directorate who uncovered that the pair lied under oath about not having previous convictions. They have been rearrested and each face an additional charge of perjury, fraud and failure to disclose previous convictions in contravention of section 60(11B) of the Criminal Procedure Act,” Mathe said.

The possibility of more arrests, in this case, cannot be ruled out, Mathe said.

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