Six police officers fingered in R1.9m SAPS PPE corruption arrested

Crime / 07 February 2022, 16:34pm/ Mandla Nkosi

Saps officer: Image supplied

Pretoria – Fifteen suspects were arrested on Monday in connection with corruption at SAPS for the acquisition of personal protective equipment valued at R1.9 million.

Six of the accused are former police officers, two are currently serving as police officers and one is an administrative clerk. The rest of the accused are civilians linked to the supplier.

National police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said the accused were arrested in the early hours of Monday in Gauteng and Limpopo.

Mathe said they had been charged with fraud, theft, corruption and forgery arising from a scheme to unlawfully benefit a third-party supplier of latex gloves for the SAPS nationally in April 2020.

“The arrests flow from a wide-ranging investigation into procurement and supply chain management at SAPS. The investigation has uncovered the award of numerous contracts for the benefit of third-party front companies, which in turn facilitate kickbacks to senior SAPS officials.”

Mathe said more arrests emanating from police corruption could be expected.

All 15 suspects are expected appear at the Palm Ridge Specialised Crimes Court on Tuesday

@iol