Four Mpumalanga police officers taken into custody after theft of R1.6 million from zama zama ‘leader’ – LNN

The four Barberton police officers arrested for allegedly stole R1.6 million from a zama zama ‘paymaster’ were remanded in custody until their bail application on Tuesday.

Danisile Precious Mahlangu (47), Mandla Saky Ndlovu (49), Bongani Dlamini (40) and Doctor Zulu (42) appeared in the Barberton Magistrate’s Court on Friday charged with theft and perverting the course of justice.

It is alleged that on Thursday they raided a house belonging to a man believed to have links to illegal miners, where they found R1.8 million in a wardrobe.

The homeowner was not present during the raid and his son was arrested and taken to the police station.

Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Sekgotodi said the suspects deviated from standard procedure by not charging the person they arrested and not charging the money they seized.

Instead, she said, they disappeared for five hours. Crime intelligence was called in after the son opened a theft case against the four police officers.

They were called back to the station.

“Upon their return, the officers only recovered the sum of R200,000, which they claimed was the only thing found in the paymaster’s house,” Sekgotodi said.

The four officers were arrested and detained at Nelspruit police station.

Sekgotodi told Mpumalanga News that the son had been released. However, the police will investigate where the money came from.

“Investigations are ongoing into the safekeeping of R1.8 million in a wardrobe as it amounts to money laundering,” she said.