A POLICE captain from Kraaifontein cop shop was bust for allegedly extorting money from a spaza shop owner.
It's alleged that the cop would go to the shop owner and demand money so that the shop would operate without any interference.
Western Cape police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie said the cop allegedly received money from the spaza shop owner in July and another amount in October.
“Preliminary investigation suggests that the officer received a substantial payment during July 2023 from the owner of a spaza shop in the area in exchange for operating his business without interference."
"It's further alleged that the officer again visited the owner during the month of October 2023, demanding numerous payments, of which the owner paid a certain amount to him in order to keep his business open for operations,” said Pojie.
After having enough cash demands from the cop, the spaza shop owner decided to open a case against the captain at the Kraaifontein cop shop.
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Cops initiated a criminal investigation against the officer but when he realised that he was under investigation, he threatened the complainant.
“When the officer became aware of the case against him, he went back and threatened the complainant to withdraw the criminal case against him. This matter was also reported to the local police in aggravation of the extortion case, already under investigation,” Pojie said.
He said the matter was referred to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for consideration, and on Tuesday 21, November and the DPP decided to charge the officer with extortion and intimidation.
The cop was arrested at his workplace on Wednesday, 22 November.
Meanwhile, another cop from Belhar Police Station, Constable Cheslyn Heckrath, appeared in Bellville Magistrates Court for corruption charges on Wednesday, 22 November.
This after he allegedly received R1 000 e-wallet money from a suspect in exchange for helping the man to escape from the cop shop las Saturday, 18 November.
