Two police detectives‚ alleged to have demanded money to release a man from custody‚ were nabbed in a Hawks sting last week.

The officers‚ attached to the Berea police station in Durban‚ are understood to have been arrested when money changed hands during an illicit after-hours exchange on Thursday night.

According to a confidential police memorandum penned by the station’s detective commander‚ leaked to this publication‚ the pair of detectives had been investigating a case of reckless and negligent driving. “They demanded cash [to] the amount of R3 000 from the suspect to release him from custody‚” it reads.

“The members collected the monies at about 9pm. They were then arrested by the Hawks for corruption. Both members were dressed in civilian clothing and were on duty working a standby shift.”

The commander recommended that the officers be charged departmentally‚ an investigation which would run parallel to their criminal case.

Hawks spokesman Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said the detectives‚ identified only as detective sergeants Mabaso and Dlangalala‚ had appeared in the Durban Commercial Crimes court on Friday and were released on R2 000 bail.

Both will appear in court again on May 21.