Man arrested for impersonating cop, attempted bribery

A 47-year-old man from the North West was arrested for impersonating a police officer and attempting to extort a bribe of R3 000 from a suspect.

Police said the impersonator, whose identity has not been revealed, allegedly assumed the role of an investigating officer assigned to a specific theft case.

“Taking advantage of this position, the imposter contacted a suspect implicated in the said case and demanded a substantial sum of money, R 3000, in exchange for making the legal proceedings disappear,” police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone, said.

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Alarmed by the suspicious nature of the request, the targeted individual reported the incident to the authorities.

Undercover operation

“As a result of the victim’s report, an undercover operation was launched to expose the fraudulent impersonator and gather evidence against him. During the operation, it was established that the man posing as an investigating officer was not affiliated with the police in any official capacity,” Mokgwabone said.

He said that police apprehended the suspect, who now faces charges of impersonation, extortion, and fraud.

Meanwhile in a separate incident, a 32-year-old man was arrested for impersonating a JMPD officer in Eldorado Park.

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According to JMPD spokesperson, Xolani Fihla, police received information about a man half dressed as a JPMD officer, and half dressed as a civilian.

Fihla told the media that the man was found in a parking lot wearing a JMPD reflective jacket and cap.

He said authorities asked the man where he got the uniform from. In response, the suspect vaguely mentioned obtaining it from a friend but refrained from revealing the friend’s identity or providing further details.

“The 32-year-old suspect was arrested for impersonating a police officer and he was detained at Eldorado Park Saps where a case docket was opened for further investigation,” Fihla said.