Staff Reporter.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) have arrested two police officers from Dobsonville on charges of kidnapping and extortion.
The arrests came after four police officers drove to Payneville in Springs on Friday, where they were supposed to search a suspect’s property.
The police officers arrested the suspect and confiscated money to the value of R35 000, gold, measuring scales, and 25 litres of acidic mercury.
“While inside the police van, the officers allegedly demanded more money from the suspect, which he did not have at the time. They advised him to call his friends to help him raise the requested amount of money. Unfortunately, his friend could not assist.
“They informed the suspect’s friend that he was arrested until he is able to pay the required amount of money. The friend reported the incident to Ipid,” said the police watchdog’s spokesperson Lizzy Shuping.
She says the state vehicle was found in Roodepoort with the confiscated goods and an undisclosed amount of money.
Two constables are on the run while two sergeants are expected to appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Last week, three members of the SAPS -Sello Tsima, Edward Magape and Massifo Johannes Mangena, were granted bail by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, while a fourth accused, Congolese national Alain Mbembe, 48, was denied bail.
Tsima, 36, and Magape, 46, are attached to the Wierdabrug police station in Tshwane, while Mangena is based at Midrand police station, according to National Prosecuting Authority’s Gauteng spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana.