LYDENBURG - Two suspects, aged 32 and 27, are due to appear at the Lydenburg Magistrate’s Court today to face charges of possession of dagga, reckless and negligent driving, and bribery.

The Lydenburg K9 Unit attempted to stop the suspects’ vehicle yesterday, but they ignored the unit and sped recklessly away. The unit persisted and were able to corner the suspects on the road towards Mashishing Township. They then searched the suspects’ vehicle and discovered compressed dagga to an estimated value of R70 000. 

The suspects tried to bribe the police with an amount of R5 000, but did not succeed as the officers refused; instead, the officers added an extra charge of bribery against them. Neither did the police hesitate to also charge them with reckless driving, having ignored all the intersection lights they had crossed. 

The provincial commissioner of the police in Mpumalanga, Lt Gen Mondli Zuma, has commended the unit members for refusing to be bribed. He indicated that such members are ambassadors of change to strengthen trust between the police and the community. 

“These members have shown the suspects and the community that it is not a lawful exercise to bribe police,” said Zuma. 

Editor: Anchen Coetzee
Subeditor: Wahl Lessing
PR submitted by: Brig Leonard Hlati