MPUMALANGA – Three Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) investigating officers, Sergeant Bonisile Daphney Mjali (45), Sergeant Xolani Howard Nxumalo (37) and Constable Thulisile Patricia Mkhatshwa (35) appeared before the Kabokweni Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 07 June 2021 following their arrest on the same day by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team in Mpumalanga for alleged corruption.

It is alleged that on 07 January 2020, one of the accused was investigating a case of rape against the complainant, instead of arresting the suspect the accused phoned him and told him that she is investigating a case against him, but in order for him not to be arrested and for the case to be cancelled he must pay R25 000. The accused drove to the workplace of the complainant, demanding money. He told them that he does not have such amount of money but he can only manage to give them R5 000 cash.

They instructed him to put the money inside the state vehicle that they were driving and told him that they spoke to the Prosecutor and he said he can pay extra R10 000 to make it R15 000. The accused kept on phoning the complainant, demanding money until he reported the matter to the Hawks who initiated an investigation.

An undercover operation was conducted but the accused kept on postponing the meeting with the complainant. The court issued warrants of arrest against the trio which was executed today and the accused were arrested at their workplace.

The trio appeared in court and they were released on R3 000 bail each and the case was transferred to Nelspruit Commercial Crime Court until 6 July 2021.

Source: South African Police Service