Western Cape Police Commissioner, Arno Lamoer and five others had their day in court today.
The province’s top cop handed himself over to authorities at the Goodwood Police Station this morning.
The six appeared in the Goodwood magistrate’s court on charges of corruption following an extensive investigation by crime intelligence operatives and the Hawks into allegations of corruption and racketeering.
Western Cape Police Commissioner Arno Lamoer.
Pic: Voice of the Cape FM
Last year he admitted to having a personal relationship with a Cape Town businessman & police benefactor, Mohamed Salim Dawjee, who allegedly has gang connections.
It is alleged that Lamoer also received money from Dawjee, who is also reported to have showered senior Western Cape police officials with expensive gifts and even dropping off pots of curry on every Fridays to the Police’s Provincial Headquarters where Lamoer is based.
The generous businessman even admitted that he and Lamoer are very good friends and that he went so far as to lend Lamoer R20,000 for his daughter’s wedding.
National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega was also linked to Lamoer’s misconduct when she informed him about the investigation.
Phiyega reportedly tipped off Lamoer on three occasions that she knew that he was under investigation.
At the time, it was reported that their telephone conversations had been legally recorded by crime intelligence operatives monitoring Lamoer’s phonecalls.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) took the decision last year not to criminally charge Phiyega for interfering with the probe.
The six face 109 counts, including corruption, defeating the ends of justice fraud, money laundering and fraud.
Included in the six were Lamoer, Dawjee, his son and three senior cops.
Lamoer and four of the co-accused have been released on a bail of R5,000 each.
The Democratic Alliance’s, Dianne Kohler Barnard has used the judgement to lash out at NPA saying, ““He was quite clearly warned by national police commissioner on the recording that he was under investigation, she warned him over and over yet the NPA has seen fit not to charge her while they are charging him and others for relationships with various drug lords.”
