LIMPOPO – According to a statement issued by Police Spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, 33-year-old Jaco Opperman, was arrested by detectives in Witbank, Mpumalanga in August 2017 in connection with several cases of fraud. He was being sought by the Limpopo police since May 2016, he said.
“It is understood the suspect who was advertising buffaloes for sale, was subsequently paid thousands of rands (±R60 000) by unsuspecting victims who made deposits into his account. He disappeared and three cases of fraud were then opened against him and a search ensued.”
“Opperman appeared before Modimolle Magistrate’s Court on 20 September 2017 and was remanded in custody. The suspect was thereafter taken to Pretoria for detention, where he somehow managed to pay bail to the amount of R500 which was never granted during his court appearance. The suspect was supposed to appear again in the same court on Monday, 16 October 2017 but was nowhere to be found,” he explained.
Premilinary police investigations point to possible aiding and abetting and a case of escaping from lawful custody has been opened against Opperman. Police have also opened cases of defeating the ends of justice and aiding and abetting against the magistrate and a police warrant officer who were involved, Mojapelo added.
A warrant for the re-arrest of Opperman has been issued, he confirmed.
The Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has condemned this incident and gave assurance that the law will be applied mercilessly against the responsible persons, regardless of who is involved.
“We will not tolerate a situation where we commit the scarce resources available to investigate cases and trace perpetrators, only for the arrested suspects to be released under dubious circumstances,” lamented General Ledwaba.
The police urge anyone who can assist with information that can lead to the rearrest of this suspect to contact the investigating officer Sergeant Rossouw on 0711338524. ALternatively they can contact any nearest Police Station or the 24-hour Crime Stop on 08600 10 111.
