Police officers locked up over stealing R700k luxury watch and liquor during raid

Three Gauteng police officers and two civilians handed themselves in at the Serious Corruption Investigation offices on Monday, 29 January 2024 after they were accused of taking a complainant’s luxury watch valued at R700 000, traffic registers, driver’s licence and liquor without the homeowner’s permission during a raid.

According to reports, in June 2022 the officers, Sergeant Jackson Mthombeni (40), Sergeant Sophie Matodzi (41) and Constable Kgomotso Molefe (39) drove alongside the complainant in a marked police vehicle, before pulling him over.

After searching his car, the man reported that the police officials then asked to search his apartment.

ALSO READ: Germiston Hawks arrest police sergeant and his accomplice for corruption

Luxury watch

Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela, said the man took the officers to his apartment as they had requested, but upon searching it, the officers are alleged to have taken the man’s luxury watch valued at R700 000, along with traffic registers, his driver’s licence and liquor without his permission.

“The officers are then alleged to have demanded that the man transfer R150 000 into a Standard Bank account belonging Charlene Marizane in exchange for his belongings that were taken,” Warrant Officer Mavimbela said.

Knowing that he was likely being robbed, the man then filed a complaint with the police regarding this. Police then conducted investigations.

ALSO READ: High-ranking officers face corruption charges in police recruitment

After investigations, Mavimbela said that a bag allegedly with the belongings of the man, his driver’s licence and his traffic registers were found in the private vehicle belonging to a fifth individual named Sheldon Mhlanga.

Corruption

Following this discovery, the police then arrested all three offending officers as well as Marizane and Mhlanga. They were charged with corruption, defeating the ends of justice, conspiracy to commit a crime, theft and kidnapping in Johannesburg.

Mavimbela confirmed that on Monday, 29 January 2024, the suspects made their first appearance before the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court and four of the suspects were granted bail of R5000 each and the matter was postponed to 5 February 2024.

Mhlanga’s case was remanded to 5 February 2024 for his formal bail application.