A Western Cape police officer, who allegedly prevented her colleagues from arresting a suspect and then helped him escape, has been arrested.

The 43-year-old woman is a captain from the Table View police station.

Captain FC van Wyk said police had been in the process of arresting a man in Scottsdene on Saturday who had been found in possession of an unlicensed firearm.

While executing the arrest, the captain arrived in her private vehicle, but dressed in full uniform. She was in the company of another man.

Van Wyk said she allegedly interfered with the arrest and demanded that the members release the suspect.

“When the members refused, she then pulled the suspect free from them and she instructed the suspect to run away.”

The captain was arrested on Wednesday where she was charged with defeating the ends of justice.

She was expected to appear in the Kuilsrivier Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

It was not immediately clear how she was linked to the suspect.

Police have since established that the gun which had been taken from the suspect was reported stolen in Manenberg last month. News24