The arrest of seven police officers for allegedly extorting money from two shops in Milnerton follows a police shootout in Bothasig last month in which three extortion suspects were killed and another four injured.
Seven police officers, aged 24 to 45, have been arrested for allegedly extorting money from two shops in Milnerton.
The suspects, who are all attached to the Public Order Policing Unit, were arrested and are due to appear in court today, Wednesday October 9, according to provincial police spokesman Colonel Andre Traut.
“It is alleged that the members, accompanied by a suspect in civilian clothes, took an undisclosed amount of cash from the two shops, allegedly as protection money,” he said.
Colonel Traut said the incident was being investigated and more arrests could follow.
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Anroux Marais said: “I commend the investigators for apprehending the suspects and for not hesitating to act against their own colleagues. At the same time, I take a dim view of growing indications of brazen police complicity in crime. If these allegations are proven true in a court of law, they must be dealt with accordingly. Such actions, if proven, cannot stand. The Western Cape government supports the work done by the SAPS to rid our society of crime.”
Just last week, Tabletalk reported on a police shootout in Bothasig, on Wednesday September 25, in which three alleged extortionists were killed and another four were injured (“Three dead, four injured in Bothasig police shootout,” Tabletalk, October 2).
Extortion cases can be reported to the Western Cape police, toll free, at 0800 31 44 44.