The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the arrest of four police members by the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit on Tuesday 14 March 2023, for a common robbery incident that happened last week in Motetema policing area outside Groblersdal in Sekhukhune District.
On Wednesday 8 March 2023, the four suspects were on duty using a marked Police minibus when they reportedly spotted three men withdrawing money from the ATM at the Mall in Groblersdal and apparently suspected them to be undocumented foreign nationals.
The members allegedly approached them and demanded passports. They thereafter arrested them when they failed to produce passports and put them into their motor vehicle.
While driving along the road, the members allegedly stopped the minibus and forcefully took an amount of five thousand rands (R5000-00) from the complainant and gave them an amount of sixty rands (R60-00) to take a taxi ride home.
The complainant managed to get assistance and immediately went to Motetema police station to report the incident. A Task Team was established to prove the incident and to locate the members responsible.
The matter was later handed over to the Provincial Anti-Corruption Team for further investigations and a warrant of arrest was subsequently issued against them.
A joint operation to execute the warrant was conducted today and the four members were arrested while on duty at Sekhukhune District offices in Grobblersdal.
“The arrest of these members should send a clear message that the SAPS in this Province does not tolerate any form of criminality, regardless of who is the perpetrator,” said Lieutenant General Hadebe.
“The majority of Police members in this Province are loyal, dedicated and passionate about their policing services and those who go astray, decisive steps are taken.” Concluded Lieutenant General Hadebe.
The suspects aged between 31 and 36 will appear before the Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court tomorrow on Wednesday 15 March 2023 facing charges of common robbery.
