Seven cops fired for alleged involvement in corruption

Seven South African Police Service (SAPS) members were dismissed on Wednesday following their alleged involvement in corruption.

Spokesperson for the police commissioner, Brigadier Vish Naidoo, said those dismissed included two senior managers at the level of brigadier, two colonels, a lieutenant-colonel and two civilian employees.

Naidoo said the dismissed were:

• Station commander: Point Police Station (KwaZulu-Natal) and former supply chain management head, Western Cape, Brigadier Jabez Naidoo, 49
• Section head: mechanical services, Brigadier Lesetja David Mogotlane, 57
• Section commander: vehicles and tactical equipment, Colonel Thomas Dumisani Marima, 50
• Vehicle support: Pretoria central garage, Lieutenant-Colonel Veeran Naipal, 47
• Technical expert: vehicle fleet, Lieutenant-Colonel Alpheus Nkosibanke Makhetha, 46
• Chief provincial clerk: new vehicle store, Western Cape, admin clerk Jacoba Magadela Havenga, 49
• Chief provisioning clerk to Brigadier Ramanjalum, Marcell Duan Marney, 33

“The seven members were part of 16 suspects initially arrested on the 4th of June 2020 during a pre-dawn operation. They were arrested by an anti-corruption task team which was set up in 2017 by the National Police Commissioner General Khehla John Sitole.

“Among the 15 arrested were a former lieutenant-general of the South African Police Service, three brigadiers, colonels, civilian employees and six private citizens on multiple charges which included fraud, corruption, theft and money laundering.

“Although the accused in this matter are currently subjected to criminal prosecution, these seven have been tried departmentally, found guilty and subsequently dismissed,” Naidoo said.

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Sitole said SAPS management remained committed to rooting out corruption from within its ranks, “irrespective of the rank or position a member holds within the service”.

“I continue to urge members to desist from any form of criminality or corruption as such actions will do nothing more than bring an abrupt end to one’s freedom and career,” Sitole said.

Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu

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