Hawks arrest CI operative for stealing from Secret Services Account

A 48-year-old warrant officer made his first appearance in court on Monday after allegedly stealing R134 000 from the Secret Services Account.

The former crime intelligence (CI) operative appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court a day after he was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (Hawks) detectives in the Botshabelo township, Free State.

He is charged with fraud, forgery, and uttering.

Forging signatures

The suspect was a member of Free State CI allocated to Parkroad South African Police Service (Saps).

In 2022, he allegedly forged the signatures of his superiors and withdrew over R134,000 from the account.

“This was brought to the attention of Hawks investigators who wasted no time in collecting evidence and persuading the court to issue a warrant for his arrest,” said Lieutenant Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli.

Rotten elements

Hawks head in the Free State, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, said arresting a member who has betrayed his oath of office is never a pleasant feeling.

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“However, it is good that we are identifying rotten elements within our ranks and arresting them,” she said.

“Secret Services Account funds strengthen our efforts to fight crime and make South Africa safer. We will not be derailed from this important mission,”

The case was postponed to 22 August and the member was granted bail of R5 000.

He has since resigned from the service.

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Boxing promoter arrested for fraud

Leading Eastern Cape boxing promoter, Andile Sidinile, was released on a warning after he was arrested by the East London Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team of the Hawks for fraud.

The 55-year-old, who previously served as a member of the Boxing South Africa (BSA) board, made a short appearance in the East London Magistrate’s Court.

He allegedly forged the signature of a top provincial government official in 2016 to prove sponsorship for an event so it could go ahead.

After learning of the fraud, BSA decided to still pay R543 000 to the boxers.

Additional reporting by Chulumanco Mahamba.