Alex Matlala

Alex Matlala

Barely a week after a police inspector was arrested for allegedly stealing cattle in the Lephalale area, another inspector was nabbed yesterday on the same accusations.

The 42-year-old inspector attached to the Marble Hall stock theft unit was arrested on duty by the Polokwane police for allegedly stealing seven head of cattle to the value of R40000.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Mohale Ramatseba said the cattle were stolen last week at Dikgalaopeng in the Sekhukhune district.

"A few days after they were stolen they were all found wandering in the bush in Motetema. They were then left under the supervision of the inspector, who was supposed to have taken them back to their owner.

"But it was later discovered that the inspector did not hand them over to the rightful owner but had instead given them to his accomplice to sell.

"This after the rightful owner of the cattle came forward to claim them," Ramatseba said.

"We asked the inspector about the cattle but he could not tell us where they where.

"He claimed he had forgotten the name of the person he handed the cattle to."

But the police had already been tipped off about the man he allegedly handed the cattle to.

The inspector was arrested and will face charges of stock theft, defeating the ends of justice and fraud when he appears in the Motetema magistrate's court soon.

Meanwhile, the case of stock theft involving Inspector Simon Molebaloa of the Lephalale stock theft unit, who was arrested last week for allegedly stealing two head of cattle, will be heard again today.

He was remanded in custody during his appearance on May 11 when he appeared in the Lephalale magistrate's court.

The alarming rate of stock theft involving high-profile police members has angered provincial Police Commissioner Calvin Sengani, who said harsh action would be taken against those found guilty.