POLOKWANE – This after the officer appeared before the Seshego Magistrate’s Court last Monday on two counts of corruption and extortion.
It is alleged that the officer was involved in an accident in Seshego on 10 April, involving another vehicle. At the time of the accident, the officer was dressed in uniform and drove a marked Polokwane municipal traffic vehicle.
Provincial Hawks spokesperson, Lt Matimba Maluleke, said after the accident, the officer demanded money from the woman who was driving the other vehicle, and threatened to take her driver’s licence and lock her up if she did not pay her.
The officer demanded R1 000 from the woman, and she gave the money to the traffic officer. The following day, the traffic officer went to the woman’s workplace and demanded more money.
“The woman then reported the matter to the Hawks. She arranged an appointment for the payment to be made, and during this process, the officer was arrested,” Maluleke said.
Municipal spokesperson, Matshidiso Mothapo, said the municipality considered the allegations in a very serious light.
He added the employee was only granted bail last Monday and internal disciplinary processes could only resume once she had reported to work.
“The employee returned to work last Friday. Once work is resumed, the process will determine the charges and whether a suspension is warranted. If warranted, the employee will be suspended from duty as part of the normal disciplinary processes. The officer was driving a municipal vehicle at the time of the accident and the accident report will be assessed to determine the costs of damage caused. This will be part of the internal investigations to be conducted,” Mothapo said.
The officer was granted R2 000 bail, and the case was postponed to 7 June.
