A high ranking South African police officer was on Monday morning arrested in a pre-dawn raid at her house, the Investigating Directorate of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said.

The police officer is the 13th accused, including a company represented by its director, expected to appear before the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court on charges of corruption, fraud, theft and money laundering,“ directorate spokeswoman Sindisiwe Twala said in a statement.

“Her arrest and appearance relate to the supply of emergency warning equipment for the South African Police Services in 2017,” said Twala.

“The contract price and exposure to the police fiscus was R191 million (about US$11.6 million). However, R65 million was paid to the service provider, Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement (Pty) Ltd. The payment of R22 million was stopped at the advanced stage of the Investigating Directorate’s probe into the matter.”

Without naming the arrested police officer other than indicating she was female, Twala said she joined several other accused people including former South African Police Service (SAPS) acting national commissioner Khomotso Phahlane.

The others are former Gauteng police commissioner Deliwe de Lange, Gauteng deputy police commissioner Major-General Brigadier Nombhuruza Lettie Napo, retired divisional commissioner Lieutenant General Ramahlapi Johannes Mokwena, Brigadier James Ramanjalum, Major General Ravichandran Pillay, Colonel Thomas Dumas Marima and Seargent Maetapese Joseph Mulaiwa.

The civilians include Judy Rose, Samantha Andrews and Vimpie Phineas Manthata, who will also appear representing the company Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement as a director.

The state’s case against Phahlane and the others relates to alleged tender irregularities in 2016 in the bidding process to install, among others, blue lights, sirens and radio equipment in Gauteng police vehicles.

In March, at the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court sitting in Palm Ridge, senior state advocate Richard Chabalala said delays in the matter, with the last appearance being in December, were meant to allow the prosecution to complete a forensic probe on the accused.

This followed a “search-and-seizure” operation on the home of Manthata, whose company allegedly fraudulently won the lucrative 2016 tender by using a bogus tax-clearance certificate.

Manthata had charges against him provisionally withdrawn in December.

Source: ANA news agency