He had tried to return some of the cash in the hopes his victim would drop the complaint

A police constable was arrested in Valdezia on Wednesday when a man accused of cigarette smuggling claimed he demanded a bribe, Limpopo police said.    

The policeman stopped a vehicle delivering smuggled cigarettes, but instead of arresting the smuggler demanded a R35,000 bribe, said Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi.

The smuggler was released when he got a relative to deliver the money. He later reported the matter to the police.    

They recovered R10,000 from someone the policeman, on finding out that a case had been opened, asked to return it to the smuggler, possibly in the hope he would withdraw the complaint.    

The policeman was arrested on suspicion of corruption and defeating the ends of justice and was expected to appear in the Waterval Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

Mulaudzi said the alleged smuggler would also be investigated, even though he was witness. He had not been arrested.

Provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Simon Mpembe condemned police involvement in crime and said it would be exposed and dealt with.