Durban metro cops arrested for corruption and stealing cigarettes

Four Durban metro police officers have been arrested for corruption and theft.

The men were arrested on Wednesday after they allegedly confiscated cigarettes and money from a shop in La Mercy, north of Durban, but did not surrender it as evidence at any police station.

The policemen were said to have been acting on intelligence that the shop owner was illegally selling cigarettes.

“The men demanded the cupboard keys before they removed cigarettes and an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspects later released the complainant who reported the matter to the police. They did not hand in the cigarettes and cash at any police station,” said police spokesperson Brig Jay Naicker.

The men are expected to appear in the Verulam magistrate's court on Thursday.

In a separate incident also investigated by the provincial anti-corruption unit, Sgt Lazarus Narainsamy from Tongaat SAPS appeared in the Verulam magistrate’s court on Wednesday on an extortion charge.

“He is accused of extorting money from a suspect who was arrested for assault and crimen injuria in March 2020. The court released him on bail of R1,000 and postponed the case to September 23 2020,” said Naicker.

KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner, Lt-Gen Khombinkosi Jula, commended the work of the anti-corruption unit.

“We welcome the continued crackdown on corruption within police agencies. We will do everything within our control to ensure that we are left with only police officials prepared to serve with integrity,” said Jula.

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