Durban — The official opposition party in KwaZulu-Natal has called for heads to roll at the Mountain Rise police station.
This comes after reliable information surfaced that more cash had allegedly been discovered to be missing from the Pietermaritzburg police station.
Last month the Daily News reported that cash – that had been handed in as an exhibit – had gone missing from the Mountain Rise police station.
The cash was handed in last year but was allegedly signed out by an officer six days later.
At the time the police, despite being asked for more information – including details about where and how the cash was initially seized, what its value was and how much is now missing – only confirmed the theft and that there was an ongoing investigation by the same police station.
On Wednesday the publication, through a source, learnt that a tally and check of cash in the police’s exhibits at the police station showed that there was more money missing.
It is alleged that the recently discovered missing cash could possibly be linked to the same cash that was missing last month.
The cash that was discovered to be missing last month was learnt to be more than R100 000 and was handed in in six bags. However, it was discovered that two bags were missing.
This week it was discovered that a further R120 000 was missing and a case of theft was officially opened.
Police were yet to confirm that there was more money discovered to have gone missing.
The IFP in the KZN Legislature said police officials involved in the theft of the money should be brought to book.
“Heads must roll in this matter. Those involved in the theft must be held accountable. The IFP calls on the Department of Community Safety and Liaison, together with senior SAPS leadership in KwaZulu-Natal, to weed out corrupt police officers denting the image of the service and frustrating the government’s efforts to fight vice by perpetuating it.
“Police officers, like any other person, found engaging in wrongdoing are not above the law. It is very unfortunate that police officers should be the ones in this situation engaging in corrupt activities,” said IFP KZN spokesperson for Community Safety and Liaison Blessed Gwala.
He said that they were still waiting for answers from police on the initial reported missing money.
“We are still awaiting the following answers from the police on this matter: Who discovered that the money was stolen?
“What case was the stolen money connected to as an exhibit?”
He called on SAPS management to devise medium and long-term plans to address the problem of corruption in the police service.
“Corrupt police officers do not deserve to be part of the service.
“We challenge police management to be decisive and weed out all officers who are sheep by day and wolf by night. We want to see a professional, well-disciplined and non-partisan police service.”
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said: “Yes, the case number you have provided is registered as a theft case.
“It relates to an undisclosed amount of money that has been found to be missing from the police station’s safe storage.
“The matter is regarded as serious and a dedicated task team has been constituted to investigate the circumstances around the incident.”
It is alleged that the recently discovered missing cash could possibly be linked to the cash that had gone missing last month.
However, Netshiunda refuted this allegation.
“As for it being related to any other case, no link or relations have been established as yet. We shall await the outcomes of the investigations before coming to such conclusions.”
Daily News