Four Limpopo police officers were on Tuesday arrested for robbery, after allegedly forcefully taking R5,000 from suspected undocumented foreigners. 

According to police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo, the four were on duty using a marked police minibus last Wednesday when they reportedly spotted three men withdrawing money from the ATM at the Mall in Groblersdal and apparently suspected them of being undocumented foreign nationals.

“The members allegedly approached them and demanded passports. They arrested them when they failed to produce passports and put them into their motor vehicle.

“While driving along the road, the members allegedly stopped the minibus and forcefully took R5,000 from the complainants and gave them R60 to take a taxi ride home,” Mojapelo said. 

He said the complainants managed to get help and immediately went to Motetema police station to report the incident. Mojapelo said a task team was established to prove the incident and to locate the members responsible.

“The matter was later handed over to the provincial anti-corruption team for further investigations and a warrant of arrest was subsequently issued against the four.

“A joint operation to execute the warrant was conducted today and the four members were arrested while on duty at Sekhukhune District offices in Grobblersdal,” Mojapelo said. 

The provincial commissioner, Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the arrests. 

“The arrests should send a clear message that the police in this province do not tolerate any form of criminality, regardless of the perpetrator. 

“The majority of police members in this province are loyal, dedicated and passionate about their policing services and decisive steps are taken against those who go astray, ,” Hadebe said.

The suspects aged between 31 and 36 will appear before the Groblersdal magistrate's court on Wednesday, facing charges of common robbery.

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