Two senior police officers and a businessman have appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrates’ Court on charges related to contravening the Precious Metals Act and defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
The accused in the case include Head of Counter-Intelligence in the South African Police Service Crime Intelligence Division, Major-General Feroz Khan; Gauteng Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), Major-General Ebrahim Ahmed Kadwa and businessman Tariq Downes.
“The charges emanate from an incident on 5 May 2021, when Downes was allegedly found in possession of 75.9 grams of unwrought gold, valued at approximately R62 836, at OR Tambo International Airport.
“During questioning, he allegedly claimed the metal was a brass bar and that he was acting as an undercover agent linked to senior SAPS officials. Investigations allegedly established that no authorised undercover operation involving precious metals existed at the time.
“The State further alleges that Khan and Kadwa instructed officers to release Downes, despite there being no supporting documentation for such an operation,” the National Prosecuting Authority explained in a statement.
The case is expected back in court in July.
“The three were each granted bail of R20 000 with conditions.
“The NPA remains committed to ensuring accountability and upholding the rule of law, regardless of the status or seniority of those implicated in criminal conduct,” the statement concluded.
Outside the court, SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told the media that the organisation is committed to holding wrongdoers to account.
“It just shows that as an organisation, we are committed to transparency, to integrity and rooting out wrongdoing and corruption within our ranks. We’ve always maintained that no one is above the law irrespective of your position, your status and the rank that you hold.
“This is really a demonstration that the SAPS is committed to rooting out wrongdoing within our ranks,” Mathe said. – SAnews.gov.za
