A policeman living in Paarl, but based at the Parow police station in Cape Town, appeared in the Bellville District Court on Friday, charged with fraud and defeating the ends of justice.

Nicolaas Petrus Cilliers, 25, responded to a call from the Parow Neighbourhood Watch to arrest a man it had caught with drugs in his possession.

Cilliers took the suspect into custody, but allegedly later released him, drugs and all, and failed to lock him in a holding cell for later investigation.

On the fraud charge, he allegedly forged a medical certificate to cover himself for absence from duty.

Cilliers was arrested on November 21 last year, and made his first appearance three days later, before magistrate Cyril Kroutz.

At his second appearance on January 30, he was released on R1000 bail.

At Friday’s proceedings, his case was transferred to the Bellville Regional Court, where he is due to make his first appearance on April 1. SAPA