Four police officers were arrested for alleged corruption and theft in Brits on Thursday.

According to police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone, the four police sergeants in the Brits Tactical Response Team (TRT), conducted a search at a shop in Oukasie on Saturday, 18 April. They were all dressed in police uniform. “According to information at our disposal, the accused found and seized cigarettes. They conducted another search at the shop owner’s bedroom before leaving the place. The shop owner noticed immediately after their departure that cash and a cellular phone were missing. He reported the incident to the police.”

The four police members, Sethibogile Gideon Lontshitse (37), David Kabelo Kotu (40), Victor Mogomotsi Hlabane (32) and Mduduzi Aaron Mvelase (39) were arrested by the police’s provincial Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit (ACIU) on Thursday. “It was discovered during the investigation that the cigarettes that the accused seized during the search, were not registered as exhibits at the police station,” Mokgwabone said.

The police officers were granted R1 000 bail each. They will reappear in court on Wednesday, 29 July 2020.

The North West police commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, welcomed the arrest and expressed his disappointment in the unethical conduct of the police officers. He cautioned that the police will show no mercy to its own members who commit crime.