Hawks officers bust for corruption in sting operation to appear in EC court

Two Hawks officers will appear in an Eastern Cape court on Friday after they were arrested for alleged corruption.

The sergeant and captain, aged 41 and 43, were arrested on Thursday in Mthatha by the Hawks' serious corruption investigation and serious organised crime investigation units based in the area.

Hawks spokesperson Coll Katlego Mogale said: "It is alleged on July 31 2023 the complainant received a call from the suspect, who introduced himself as a Hawks official with the rank of captain in Gauteng and wanted to meet the complainant because the department of labour had opened a case against his company.

"On August 4 the complainant allegedly received another call from the same official demanding an amount of R400,000 which the complainant indicated he did not to have.

"A month later, on September 5 2023, the businessman received another call from the captain securing their meeting in Mthatha and instructing him to bring R50,000 to destroy the docket and close the case.

"The complainant reported the matter to the Hawks and a sting operation was carried out which resulted in the arrest of the duo after money exchanged hands. The officers were found with R10,000 in their possession."

Mogale said the sergeant's role in the saga remains unclear at this stage.

The duo will appear in the  Mthatha specialised commercial crimes court on a corruption charge.

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