Police Confirm 5 Arrests Including 1 SAPS Officer in OR Tambo Airport Heist

PRETORIA – The South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed it has made another breakthrough and arrested five men in the OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) heist / armed robbery – including one of its own. 

SAPS said five men were arrested over the past weekend by members of the multi-disciplinary team investigating the armed robbery, which occurred at ORTIA on Tuesday, 7 March 2017.

In a statement, SAPS said the five men appeared briefly in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court Monday, facing a charge of armed robbery. The case has been remanded to the 28th and 29th March 2017 for a bail application.

SAPS said: “It is regrettable and at the same time pleasing to note that, among the five people arrested over the weekend, a member of the South African Police Service was among them. This affords us the opportunity to take appropriate action against our own.”

SAPS reiterated its stance as the South African Police Service, that there is “no place for corrupt or criminal elements in our organisation and this arrest sends a strong message that we will continue to investigate without fear or favour.”

Two men who were arrested within a week of the armed robbery are due to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court for a second time later this week. They had been granted R50,000 bail each.

The police team tasked with investigating the armed robbery, including members of the Hawks were commended on their commitment to ensuring that the perpetrators are arrested and brought before the courts.

Items of evidence seized by the police during the course of the investigation will be presented in court during the trial of the accused. SAPS’ investigations are continuing and information gathered, including the roles played by individual accused, will also be court-directed.

“We congratulate the team on their hard work, a combination of intelligence gathering and old fashioned detective work,” said the Acting National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane.

SAPS also conveyed its disappointment again that information and photographs, “apparently peddled to the media over the weekend”, were published on Monday. SAPS said it compromises the police investigation and that the media should use information sourced from court proceedings.

Phahlane said that while “we understand and respect journalists’ mandate as a watchdog for society”, the “soliciting information illegally from members who are involved in the investigation is noted with serious concern”.

He said SAPS is investigating which of their officers are leaking the information.