Three police officers of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences investigating unit have been arrested for allegedly soliciting a R25 000 bribe in a rape case.
Sgt Bonisile Daphney Mjali (45), Sgt Xolani Howard Nxumalo (37) and Const Thulisile Patricia Mkhatshwa (35) were arrested yesterday and appeared in the KaBokweni Magistrate’s Court.
It is alleged that in January last year, one of the accused phoned the lead suspect in a rape case and told him that the case against him would be dropped if he paid R25 000. The police officers allegedly then drove to the suspect’s place of work and again demanded the money. The suspect allegedly told them he could only give them R5 000 cash.
They allegedly told him to put the money in the state-owned car they were driving. They allegedly said he could pay an additional R10 000 and the state prosecutor would let the case go. The three officers allegedly kept phoning the suspect, which led him to report the matter to the Hawks.
The three officers were arrested at their workplace.
They have been released on R3 000 bail each. The case will appear in the Nelspruit Commercial Crime Court on July 6.
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