Three police members stationed at Mahwelereng police station have briefly appeared before Mokopane Magistrate court on Tuesday 18 June 2024 facing a charges of kidnapping and extortion.
Constable Tebatso Sinkie Leso (30), Sergeant Risimati Vongani Mbhenyani (42) and Sergeant Madimetja Phillimon Mokebe (52) were remanded in police custody and their case was postponed to Friday 21 June 2024 for legal representation and further police investigations.
The trio were apprehended at their residences on Sunday, 16 June 2023, following police investigations that were executed by the Limpopo Provincial Anti-Corruption and Organised Crime Investigation Unit.
It is alleged that on Thursday 13 June 2024, a 21-year-old male complainant was driving a BMW 3 Series motor vehicle with five male Ethiopian nationals intending to transport them to Gauteng province, Marabastad Home Affairs to renew their asylums when he was blocked by a Grey Hyundai sedan with an unknown registration number at a filling station in Mokopane.
Apparently, a 21-year-old managed to escape, and he was followed by Mahwelereng SAPS Isuzu bakkie and VW Golf GTI with a female and two male occupants in uniform
The five foreign nationals were allegedly taken from his motor vehicle and put inside the back of the police bakkie, and he was cautioned not to follow them. They drove back to Mokopane and handed them to an unknown male suspect.
The complainant later went to Mokopane and Mahwelereng SAPS to enquire but could not find them and a case was opened in Mahwelereng police station and transferred to Limpopo Provincial Anti-Corruption and Organised Crime Investigation Unit for further investigations and that led to their apprehension.
During the arrest on Sunday, 16 June 2024, an undisclosed amount of cash presumably paid to one of the suspects was also seized at his residence.
The other two suspects comprising a 28-year-old female constable and 42=year-old male sergeant handed themselves to the police on Tuesday, 18 June 202. The duo are expected to appear before Mokopane Magistrate court tomorrow on Wednesday, 19 June 2024.
Police investigations are continuing.
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