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Two police officers from crime intelligence in Nelspruit have appeared in the Mpumalanga Regional Court after they allegedly tried to swindle R200 000 from a Swaziland businessman who owns a trucking company.
The businessman was apparently stopped at the Jeppe’s Reef border post between South Africa and Swaziland last Friday after Constables Wonderboy Maseko, 37, and Ephraim Nkosi, 36, found a diesel pump on the back of the truck that had been repaired in Nelspruit.
According to Captain Dineo Sekgotodi of the Nelspruit Hawks, the policemen told the truck owner that the pump was dangerous as diesel might leak out, and cause millions of rands of damage.
They threatened to arrest him if he didn’t give them R200 000. The truck owner gave the R15 000 he had on him to the officers.
"He promised the policemen that he would give them the rest of the money on Tuesday," said Sekgotodi.
The man reported the matter to the Swazi police, who in turn told the SAPS at the SA border post about the incident.
A trap was set by the Hawks and the two constables, who were on leave at the time, were arrested on Tuesday when the businessman approached them.
Maseko and Nkosi were released on R2 000 bail each on Wednesday and the case was postponed to March 20 for further investigation.
