Two alleged rogue police sergeants attached to the Bloemfontein Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) arrested regarding money apparently recovered from a cash-in-transit heist are set to reappear in the Bloemfontein Regional Court on 30 October. The male officers Ncebo Mitane (38) and Lerato Gift Shopo (34) were granted bail of R10 000 each during their brief appearance in court today.
The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team based in Welkom arrested the pair yesterday while on duty in Bloemfontein. They face charges of fraud, money laundering, possession of suspected stolen property and defeating the administration of justice. Their arrest is based on evidence gathered from the investigation of their involvement in alleged fraud activities. This is the culmination of an investigation by the elite crime fighting wing.
Lt. Col Zweli Mohobeleli, provincial spokesperson of the Hawks, says a warrant of their arrest was issued based on the strength of the findings linking them to the crime. They allegedly used bank notes tainted with ink at a Bloemfontein casino.
“It is alleged that between December 2021 and January 2022 they frequented a casino in Bloemfontein, where they used bank notes which were tainted with ink. The security management at the casino identified them and reported the matter.
“Over R4 000 in stained cash was used and it is suspected that they recovered money from a crime scene and kept it for personal use,” said Mohobeleli. He added that both police officials are members of a cash-in-transit task team in the province.
