Detectives from the Anti Corruption unit arrested two police officers on Tuesday 12 February 2019, for business robbery following an incident which occurred on Saturday 26 January 2019, at approximately 15:15 at a cellphone shop in Strand Street, Cape Town.
During the incident six SAPS members are alleged to have entered the shop claiming they had a search warrant in search for drugs and firearms. They forced open security gates on the premises and conducted a search. Shop owners of surrounding shops gathered at the entrance of the shop after being alerted by the shop owner of what was transpiring. One of the members had a bag containing cash in his possession and when he was confronted by the shop owner it fell on the floor.
One of the members hid on the premises but the other members forced their way through the crowd and fled the scene in two vehicles a Toyota Hilux LDV and a marked police vehicle. Members of Cape Town Central arrived on the scene and took the police official that hid on the scene to the Cape Town Central Police station for questioning.
The Provincial Anti Corruption Unit confirmed the incident and reported that a cell phone and cash to the value of R1 620 were taken. The cash was recovered. After consultation with Director of Public Prosecutions warrants of arrest for a case of robbery were issued for the arrest of the three identified members.
Two of the three members aged 32 and 41 years old were arrested on a charge of robbery and appeared in Cape Town Magistrates court on Wednesday 13 February 2019. The third identified member is still at large.
The Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape police, Lieutenant General KE Jula has expressed disappointment that those entrusted to uphold the law get arrested for wrong doing. “No SAPS member is above the law, and we will not allow any of our members to perpetrate a crime and get away with it. We are confident that this arrests will send a stern warning”, says Lieutenant General Jula.
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