Gauteng Traffic Police arrest three suspects for impersonating traffic police officers in Midrand
The members of Gauteng Traffic Police attached to the Central Corridor arrested three male suspects aged 34, 41 and 45 respectively along the R562 Road in Midrand on Wednesday morning after being found impersonating themselves as Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) officers.
The members of the Gauteng Traffic Police were conducting a routine roadside check when they noticed a suspicious white Nissan NP 300 approaching them. The officers immediately stopped it, upon inspecting the license disc, the officers noticed that it was suspicious. The officers asked the occupants to step out of the vehicle to enable them to search them together with their car. The officers then noticed an EMPD uniform dressed by a 34-year-old Zimbabwean national.
The officers interrogated the suspects and established that they were not officers and the suspects offered to bribe the officers with an amount of R20 000.00 to evade arrest. The Gauteng Traffic Police officers immediately arrested the suspects and detained them at Midrand police station. The Gauteng Traffic Police recovered two full set of EMPD uniforms, 3 x traffic officers reflective jackets, EMPD boots, Jammers with 10 aerials and a car battery, Panga, 4 cellphones, and a replica Z 88/Beretta 9mm firearm. The Nissan NP 300 vehicle was also impounded by the officers.
All three suspects are expected to appear in Midrand Magistrates Court on Thursday morning to face charges relating to unlawful possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition, impersonating a law enforcement officer, corruption and possession of the Jammer.
The Gauteng Traffic Police management have commended the officers following the swift arrests of the suspects. “The Gauteng Traffic Police management commend the officers for acting swiftly to intercept the suspects and stopping them in their tracks. The Gauteng Traffic Police would like to caution anyone that it is unlawful to impersonate a law enforcement officer,” said Sello Maremane, Gauteng Traffic Police Spokesperson.
“The Gauteng Traffic Police would like to urge the Criminal Justice System to impose a harsher sentence against these suspects as they tarnish the reputation of hard-working law enforcement officers in the province,” added Sello Maremane.
The Gauteng Traffic Police urge motorists to report any suspicious criminals on Gauteng roads. The Gauteng Traffic Police and various law enforcement agencies will be on high alert in order to stop criminals in their tracks of impersonating law enforcement officers.
