NAILED:
Two Nigerians jailed trying to bribe South African Hawk Police to release arrested Drug Courier ‘brother’
…earlier phoned law enforcement agents to deny suspect’s appearance in court
*“The two Nigerian suspects approached one of our investigators as planned, offered an amount of R5 000 in order to ensure their brother’s release. The pair offered to pay an additional amount to make the case disappear. The pair was consequently arrested and charged for corruption”-Hawk Police after a sting operation
*BY FOLABI AIYEDOLA/JUDICIAL Correspondent in South Africa
THEY ARE NIGERIANS resident in South Africa. Their only source of income is trading in hard drugs. They are a group of friends originally from Owerri in Imo State. But they call themselves ‘brothers’. The two men whose names are: Uche Uchena, 43, and Arinze Ezeokwusa, 41, were remanded in custody by the Volksrust Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, after they were arrested for alleged corruption.
Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said the duo was arrested by the Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation team based in Secunda for corruption.
“It is alleged that on Monday, members of the Hawks were attending court at Volksrust for a bail application for dealing in drugs. An investigator reportedly received a phone call regarding an unknown Nigerian male who wanted to meet him to negotiate the release of his brother who was appearing in court for dealing in drugs,” Sekgotodi said.
“The brother was apparently arrested on 9 December 2021 and has been in custody since.” Sekgotodi said a sting operation was put in place after the court granted authorization.
“The two suspects approached the investigator as planned and offered an amount of R5 000 in order to ensure the brother’s release. The pair offered to pay an additional amount to make the case disappear,” she said.
“The pair was consequently arrested and charged for corruption.”
Sekgotodi said the case against the two was postponed to Friday for formal bail application.
Earlier this week, police in Mpumalanga arrested a 36-year-old woman allegedly dealing in dagga, after she was found with a stash of marijuana valued at R10 000 in her home.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the woman was arrested at Newscom, in Kabokweni on Sunday.
“Her arrest comes after the police in Kabokweni received information about a woman who was dealing in dagga. During the search at her residential place, a bag of dagga was found,” Mohlala said.
“The recovered dagga is estimated to be worth about R10 000 in street value and the woman was immediately arrested.”
He said the woman was charged for possession of dagga.
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