In South Africa, four police officers have been placed under arrest on robbery charges.
In an aggravated robbery allegation, they were accused of taking jewellery valued at R20 million (N1.9 billion) from a Nigerian national.
The cops were identified as Bradley Dimitri Minnaar, Mthuthuzeli Mafanya, Bathandwa Soldati, and Jacobus Adriaan Groenewald.
On October 3, they were all present before the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court.
According to reports, the cops pretended to be looking for a wanted Nigerian national while staging the heist using their official clothes and cars.
They did, however, leave behind DNA and fingerprint evidence that helped identify them and plan their capture.
Additionally, it was mentioned that the robbery was actually the result of eight cops.
“Those caught are four of eight officers behind this whole thing,” the source said.
“They went to the home of a rich Nigerian and told those in the house they were searching for a wanted Nigerian but instead they stole jewellery valued at R20 million.
“They are so stupid they left their fingerprints all over the house as they stole Rolex watches, gold bracelets, emeralds and ivory items. It was all brand names. But they definitely planned the robbery. They are based at different stations but basically they formed a syndicate,” a source was quoted.
“They actually placed false plates on the SAPS vehicles but were caught because the SAPS tracking system placed them on the scene.
“In the Police, your DNA and fingerprints are recorded, and that is how they were linked after the homeowner opened a case.”
Their conduct, according to the Provincial Community Police Board, constituted a violation of trust and a decline in public confidence.
The arrests were verified by police spokesman FC van Wyk, who also stated that the Western Cape Anti-Corruption Unit was looking into them.
“On September 14 at around 1.35 am, a foreign national’s home on Sunset Avenue in Llandudno was robbed; multiple police officers were allegedly involved. After being reported to the Hout Bay police, the Western Cape Anti-Corruption Unit was tasked with doing more investigation on the issue, the spokesman said.