Cape Times reports that four Harare police officers accused of “selling suspects their freedom” are expected in the Khayelitsha Magistrate's Court on Wednesday on charges of corruption, theft and robbery.

Their arrests have prompted a call by the SA Communist party for a broader probe, with the party saying police corruption was often “systemic and not isolated”. The arrests on Tuesday of the four officers came after an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Unit. Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said the members, aged between 27 and 37 years, were alleged to have demanded money from people they accused of breaking the law in exchange for their freedom. The SACP called for bail to be denied for the four officers. SACP provincial secretary Benson Ngqentsu said they also suspected the issue of corruption to be more deep-seated. “We call on the National Prosecuting Authority to deny these elements bail until the investigation is completed and they are trialled. We further challenge the Anti- Corruption Unit to deepen its investigation and move beyond the four. Police corruption is often systemic and not isolated, which therefore requires large scale and deeper investigation to clean (up) the police and restore public confidence. The four must declare their handlers and their broader network within the police and outside,” Ngqentsu said.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Francesca Villette at Cape Times

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