NOORDWESTER – LICHTENBURG - Sergeant Marvin Demande (38), Sergeant Moses Dhlamini (41), Sergeant Funekile Maqanda (40), Sergeant Tsietsi Ramadie (47) and Sergeant Mothibedi Ramohanoe (46), who are attached to the Potchefstroom Flying Squad; Constable Solomen Landt (43), Sergeant Jan Morakabe (43) and Sergeant Josia Mothebe (42), attached to the Ventersdorp Police Station, all appeared in the Potchefstroom Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 15 July for alleged theft and defeating the ends of justice.
The accused were arrested on Tuesday morning (15 July) by the members of the Hawks’ Serious Commer-cial Crime Investigation and Serious Corruption Investigation. Their arrest emanated from an incident that occurred in November 2024, in which the officers allegedly stopped a truck loaded with illicit cigarettes around Ventersdorp.
Reports indicate that the accused searched the truck and allegedly found boxes of illicit cigarettes.
Preliminary inves-tigation by members of the Crime Intelligence revealed that the accused registered a case of possession of illicit cigarettes, but booked fewer boxes of cigarettes (than actually confiscated) in the SAP13 store.
Further investigation led Crime Intelligence officials to a house in Potchefstroom, where several boxes of cigarettes, with an estimated value of R125 000, were reportedly found in one suspect’s vehicle.
Following an investigation, the accused were apprehended and charged with theft and defeating the ends of justice. They have appeared in court and were granted R1 000 bail each. Their matter was postponed to 9 October.
The North West acting Hawks Head, Brigadier Silas Munzhedzi, has welcomed the arrest and applauded the team’s efforts.
