More arrests made in branding tender case
FIFTEEN people have been arrested in connection with alleged corruption in supply chain processes in the R56 million South African Police Service (SAPS) vehicle branding tender case, the office of National Commissioner Khehla John Sitole said yesterday
Nine of the suspects are former and serving police officers while six are either associated with or are suppliers, and a seventh suspect is on the run, Sitole’s spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo said . The arrests followed an investigation by an integrated team comprising of members of the national commissioner’s task team and the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) investigating directorate under advocate Hermione Cronje, he said.
The team arrested seven police personnel at the supply chain offices in Silverton in Pretoria, followed by two retired captains at their respective homes. The police personnel comprised of four junior managers with the rank of captain, a warrant officer, and four administration clerks.
The arrest of the 15 suspects brought the total number of arrests to 31 in connection with the multi-million rand police vehicle marking case.
The latest 15 accused are due to appear for the first time in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court today on charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering, and theft which allegedly relates to the manipulation of procurement documents for the branding of vehicles and a host of other transactions.
Sitole had constantly been highlighting the commitment of SAPS management to rooting out all forms of criminality from the SAPS. These arrests followed the dismissal of a lieutenant-general earlier this month as well as multiple arrests and prosecutions of both senior and junior police personnel.
“I have always been clear that criminality by members of the SAPS will not be tolerated. Working with the (NPA’s) investigating directorate has assisted in expediting this,” Sitole said. |
I have always been clear that criminality in SAPS will not be tolerated Khehla John Sitole NATIONAL POLICE COMMISSIONER