/ 11 September 2005

Police to sue Sandton couple over corrupt official

The Johannesburg Metro Police on Saturday announced it was considering instituting claims against a Sandton couple who reported a corrupt licensing official, only to later refuse to cooperate with the department in catching him.

Metro Police spokesperson Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said the woman had gone for her driver’s test on Tuesday at the Marlboro licensing department, where the examiner allegedly demanded a bribe of R1 500.

She reported the matter to the Metro Police’s internal affairs unit.

”On Thursday, when the woman was suppose to go give the official the money as arranged, she said she was afraid and declined to cooperate with the Metro Police officers in catching him.

”This is despite being supported by 10 armed police officers in private clothes,” said Minnaar.

He said the department was seriously considering instituting a claim against the woman and her husband as they had wasted police time and resources.

”We could have caught the corrupt official had she co-operated with us”.

Minnaar warned that such behaviour would not be tolerated by the department.

So far, 81 corrupt officials have been arrested since January, with 29 of them being for fraud relating to the registration of unlicensed vehicles, 24 for bribery and corruption, and 23 for theft.

The rest were arrested for rape and other forms of corruption.

Minnaar said the officials were arrested at various licensing departments across Johannesburg. – Sapa