LEBOGANG SEALE
THREE police officers allegedly solicited bribes from a “druglord” in Soweto for several months.
On Friday they arrived at his Chiawelo house, but when the “druglord” failed to provide them with cash, they arrested him.
Later they booked him out of the Moroka police station’s cells, took him to a secluded spot in Zuurbekom near Randfontein and demanded the cash. The man claims he gave them R1 000, but the cops had said it was too little.
The man apparently relented, took them to his house and handed them more money. They also allegedly took some packets of counterfeit cigarettes from him.
But unbeknown to the cops, the man decided he had had enough of their alleged bribery spree and reported the incident to the police.
Yesterday, the three police officers, Sizwe Nkwantsa, 30, John Ndlovu, 27, and Enos Magezi Manganyi, 47, appeared in the Protea Magistrate’s Court on charges of fraud and defeating the ends of justice.
All three are attached to the Protea Glen police station. Nkwantsa is a police reservist. They were released on bail of R6 000 each and the case was postponed to next week.
The cops are believed to have solicited an estimated R20 000 from the “druglord”.
Relatives and friends of the police officers could be seen huddled together discussing how they were going to raise the cash to pay for the bail.