Three Gauteng police officers has been convicted alongside a foreign man who helped them steal R1.2 million and kidnap the victims under the guise of detaining them.

Gauteng spokesperson for the Hawks, Captain Lloyd Ramovha said the officers, Tebogo Michael Moeketsi, 47, Choema Eric Moabelo, 49, and Isrom Moaone Phala, 39, raided a house in in Randburg, Johannesburg on May 8, 2018.

“Four foreign nationals were found at the house, and the officers reportedly seized R1.2 million in cash before they kidnapped the occupants under the guise that they were going to detain them, needless to say this never happened,” said Ramovha.

Ramovha said one of the victims, Walter Enow Agbor, 49, was the mastermind behind the crime.

He said the victims reported the crime to police and the matter was immediately investigated resulting in the recovery of R50,000 from the officers.

“They failed to give a reasonable explanation for the possession thereof,” Ramovha added.

He said on May 9, 2018, all four men were detained after two of them went to the Hawks’ offices to submit their statements and only declared that they confiscated a vehicle and documents.

“There was no mention of money stored or seized. Preliminary investigation exposed Walter Enow Agbor as the mastermind behind the crime. He was amongst the four occupants of the house on the day of the incident.”

The men were charged with corruption, theft, robbery, extortion, kidnapping, assault and well as defeating the administration of justice.

The Randburg Magistrates' Court found them guilty of all charges.

Their matter was postponed to July 12, 2024 for sentencing and serving of forfeiture order.

Their bail was extended pending the next court date.

In a separate incident, a former detective constable Nkhangweni Colbert Netshendama, 42, who was attached to Tarleton police station, was arrested on May 6, 2016 following a search and seizure operation where he was found with R2,000.

Ramovha said Netshendama solicited the money from an accused in a theft case and promised to have his case dealt away with.

The Kagiso Magistrate’s Court found him guilty and further declared him unfit to possess a firearm.

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

IOL News