Two arrested for impersonating Hawks members remanded in custody
The two men, who had pretended to be Hawks members, had asked a director of a company for a R50 000 gratification to squash an alleged corruption investigation.
LIMPOPO – Two men, arrested for impersonating officials from the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit, have been remanded in custody until Friday, 27 November for formal bail application.
The duo, aged 24 and 27, appeared in the Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court today on charges relating to corruption and impersonating police officials
Provincial Hawks Spokesperson, Capt Matimba Maluleke earlier said the duo were arrested in Marble Hall on Saturday, 21 November after they had demanded R50 000 bribe by a complainant in order to squash an alleged corruption investigation.
The complaint is a director at a company that was awarded a tender to supply Covid-19 personal protective equipment in Mpumalanga. It is alleged one of the men, impersonating a member of the Hawks, had conacted him and informed him that he was investigating a case of corruption against him, and demanded R50 000 in order to squash the docket.
“The matter was reported to the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit who acted swiftly and arrested the two suspects, after they were paid R20 000,” he added.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the men are not members of the Hawks as they claimed.The men were also found in possession of fraudulent documents with the Hawks’ logo on them.
22 November
LIMPOPO – The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) arrested two men, aged 24 and 27, for corruption and impersonating members of the Hawks.
Provincial Hawks Spokesperson, Capt Matimba Maluleke said the men were arrested in Marble Hall on Saturday, 21 November.
The Hawks received a complaint by a Director of a company, who was awarded a tender to supply Covid-19 personal protective equipment in Mpumalanga.
“He received a call from one of the men, who introduced himself as a member of the Hawks stationed in Mpumalanga,” Maluleke explained.
He said the man told the Director he was investigating a case of corruption against him, and demanded R50 000 in order to squash the docket.
“The matter was reported to the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit who acted swiftly and arrested the two suspects, after they were paid R20 000,” he added.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the men are not members of the Hawks as they claimed.
“They were also found in possession of fraudulent documents with the Hawks’ logo on them. Both suspects will appear in the Marble Hall Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 23 November to face charges relating to corruption and impersonating police officials,” he concluded.
