A 28-year-old intern has been arrested in Mpumalanga for allegedly scamming vulnerable job seekers by demanding R6,500 bribes in exchange for fake traffic officer positions. A sting operation by the Anti-Corruption Unit and DPCI resulted in the suspect's arrest after R2,000 was recovered from his possession. Limpopo Police Commissioner has warned that corruption within law enforcement ranks will not be tolerated.
Image: File
A 28-year-old intern from Mpumalanga has been arrested in a significant corruption crackdown. Allegedly, he exploited vulnerable individuals, promising them jobs for a fee.
Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said that on Tuesday, the Anti-Corruption Unit received a complaint about an individual allegedly soliciting money from victims by falsely promising them employment as Traffic Officers.
The suspect allegedly solicited a bribe of R6 500 from each individual, promising them a position as a Traffic Officer in exchange for the payment.
Authorities orchestrated an operation on Wednesday to apprehend the suspect, who had travelled from Mpumalanga to Limpopo. As anticipated, he arrived at the designated location, where he met with the victims and demanded payment in exchange for fraudulent job promises.
“A sting operation was activated in the Thohoyandou policing area. During the operation, the suspect arrived at the designated location, where he met with the victims and demanded payment. Upon receiving the money, the police team immediately approached and arrested him. An amount of R2 000 was recovered from his possession at the time of the arrest.”
The suspect was then detained at SAPS Thohoyandou.
Mashaba said that the case was being investigated by the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit in collaboration with the DPCI Serious Corruption Investigation Unit in Musina.
He also urged members of the public to report all elements of corruption in their respective spaces to maintain the integrity of government institutions.
Meanwhile, Limpopo Provincial Commissioner of Police, Thembi Hadebe, praised the swift action of the multi-disciplinary teams involved, commending their efforts in ensuring the timely arrest of the suspect.
“The arrest of this suspect serves as a strong warning that corruption within the ranks of law enforcement will not be tolerated. We commend the detectives for putting a stop to corruption in all its manifestations,” said Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe.
The Star
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