Only 686 of the more than 7,000 cops arrested in last 5 years convicted - Cele
Police Minister Bheki Cele said that those arrested were implicated in kidnapping and cash-in-transit heists, crimes that Crime Intelligence officers have recently made breakthroughs in.
JOHANNESBURG - Over the past five years more than 7,000 police officers have been arrested for various crimes including murder, rape, kidnapping and cash-in-transit heists.
But of the thousands arrested, less than 10% have been convicted by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Speaking at a briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday morning, Police Minister Bheki Cele said that only 686 officers were convicted.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is having to fight an internal battle against their own members who are involved in serious crimes.
Police Minister Bheki Cele: "From the last five years, 7,000 of our own have been arrested. Seven thousand of our members... although only 680 have been found guilty."
Cele said that those arrested were implicated in kidnapping and cash-in-transit heists, crimes that Crime Intelligence officers have recently made breakthroughs in.
"Most of these criminal police, if there is such a thing, are arrested by their own and people ignore those good cops, which by the way are in majority, who deal with their own to arrest them."
The minister said that the majority of those arrested were criminally charged.
