CPF members in court over solicited money

FOUR Delft Community Policing Forum (CPF) members are among six suspects to have appeared in court on charges of fraud and corruption.

It’s alleged they solicited money from foreign shop owners, saying they needed to be registered to trade in the area.

Police spokesperson Leon Fortuin said the suspects are aged between 27 and 58.

“Four of them are CPF members belonging to the Delft CPF. The other two suspects operated with the group, giving the impression that they were CPF as well,” Fortuin said.

The suspects appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

But Blue Downs CPF cluster deputy chairperson Julian Unthank said only one of those arrested was a CPF member, and the other perpetrators were neighbourhood watch members pretending to be part of the CPF.

“We are disgusted by the actions of these people. People who are supposed to combat crime have now become the very perpetrators of it. It is disgusting that people who were supposed to be the eyes and ears of the community, violated their trust,” Unthank said.

He said if a proper screening had been done to recruit the neighbourhood watch members as well as CPF members, the situation could have been prevented.

“This act of crime we view in a very serious light because this now casts the CPF, which commits to do so much good work in our communities, in a bad light. The law must now take its course, and if it results in sentencing then they will have to deal with the might of the law,” he said.

Provincial CPF board spokesperson Lucinda Evans also condemned the crime.

“We are terribly upset regarding the arrests made on a CPF member and neighbourhood watch members posing as CPF members. We firmly believe the law must take its course,” Evans said.

“We are crime protectors and crime fighters. Not perpetrators of crime. At the end of the day, disciplinary action will take place via the local CPF and the provincial board.”

The commander of the Delft police station, Phindiwe Ntungele, expressed concern over the allegations and indicated that no form of corruption or fraud would be tolerated by any member affiliated with the station.

Ntungele urged anyone experiencing the same thing to report the matter at the station, or call 021 954 900.

‘We are crime protectors and crime fighters. We are not criminals.’