BETHLEHEM – The criminal case of a senior officer attached to the Free State Stock Theft and Endangered Species unit is set to continue in the Bethlehem Magistrates’ Court on 29 January. WO Ferdinand Jacobus van Vuuren (58) is currently out bail set at R15 000.
He was granted bail on 11 December after spending time in custody following his arrest regarding a complex case. The officer is facing charges of illegal possession of ammunition and suspected possession of stolen property.
Van Vuuren is attached to the Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit, which is based in Fouriesburg. The criminal case came after he was re-arrested on 28 November by the provincial Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit following the discovery of prima facie evidence of alleged wrongdoing. The elite crime fighting wing reported Van Vuuren was initially arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm.
However, he was apparently released with a warning after appearing in court.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said intelligence-driven information was received regarding the detective’s suspected serious wrongdoing.
She said that further investigation uncovered prima facie evidence, leading to Van Vuuren’s re-arrest and subsequent court appearances.
Matoti said during the search, SAPS exhibit bags were found.
“The bags contained cellphones, used buccal samples, dockets not yet finalised, police registers, as well as ammunition. All exhibits were seized for further investigation,” confirmed Matoti. She said the investigators had obtained a search warrant to conduct a search at the suspect’s residence. The investigation is ongoing in the case against officer.
- On 18 June last year, a warrant officer attached to the Free State SAPS Crime Intelligence unit, Tshepo Matthews Sephapho (48), was sentenced to a minimum of five years’ direct imprisonment without the option of paying a fine. The Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court found him guilty on charges of fraud, forgery, and uttering committed against the employer – SAPS. An investigation uncovered that Sephapho forged the signatures of his superiors and withdrew more than R134 000 from the Secret Services account during 2022.
